Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 3024Oral rape, anal rape, sexual assault, possession of child pornography · Co. Waterford

Retired Waterford teacher Barra Connolly jailed for 15 years for sexual offences on four boys

Barra Connolly, an 81-year-old retired English and history teacher at Lismore CBS, Co Waterford, was sentenced to 15 years at the Central Criminal Court for 97 counts of sexual offences, including 23 counts of section four rape and 73 counts of sexual assault, against four boys aged 13 or 14 between 1997 and 2006.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced21 May
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatBarra Connolly is an 81-year-old retired schoolteacher (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly was an English and history teacher (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe four victims were all aged 13 or 14 at the time of the offences (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly used the pretext of giving free grinds to lure the victims to his house (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly provided the victims with soft drinks and cigarettes and showed them pornographic films as he groomed them (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly gave the boys keys to his house (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly abused three of the four boys on a weekly or monthly basis (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly gave the boys €100 a week (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGardaí recovered diaries in which Connolly recorded his sexual activities in Irish, Latin, French and Italian using cryptic codes (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly exercised his right to silence when arrested and questioned by gardaí (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDuring the trial, Connolly denied he was sexually attracted to young boys and that he had abused his victims (irishtimes.com)
  • whatConnolly refused to accept the jury's verdict and was not expressing any remorse (irishtimes.com)
  • whereConnolly was a former teacher at Lismore CBS in Co Waterford (irishtimes.com)
  • whereConnolly's house was on Chapel Street in Lismore (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe offences occurred between 1997 and 2006 (irishtimes.com)
  • whenIn the case of one boy, the abuse went on for a four-year period between 2002 and 2006 (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeConnolly was convicted of 97 counts of sexual offences against four victims (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe jury found Connolly guilty of 23 counts of section four rape where he orally or anally raped his victims (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe jury found Connolly guilty of 73 counts of sexual assault (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe jury found Connolly guilty of one count of possession of child pornography (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 May2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Retired Waterford teacher who detailed abuse in diaries is jailed for 15 years for assaults on four boys

    Sentencing details including structured sentence of 15 years (two 7½-year terms consecutive), aggravating and mitigating factors, grooming evidence, diaries and 984 child abuse images found in 2023 search, and the judge's remarks.

    convicted, Barra Connolly, 81, male, named, irish (judged from name)Barra Connollyvictim, 13 or 14, malevictim, 13 or 14, malevictim, 13 or 14, malevictim, 13 or 14, male