Ireland Named in reporting
Liam Coughlan
Born between November 1935 and July 1936, from the ages reported. 9 reports across 3 cases, 16 Oct 2023 to 5 Nov 2026
Key facts
from every report naming them- Named as
- Convicted, accused
- Born
- Between November 1935 and July 1936, from the ages reported
- Offences
- Indecent assault, Sexual assault
- Where
- Co. Kilkenny, Co. Offaly
- Reporting
- 9 reports, 16 Oct 2023 to 5 Nov 2026
- Outlets
- kilkennypeople.ie, thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com, rte.ie
Photographs
as published, with the outlet's credit
Images are shown from the outlet that published them and link back to the article. Copyright stays with the credited photographer or agency.
Cases
latest first- Kilkenny indecent assault convict dies in prison Indecent assault · Co. Kilkenny
Liam Coughlan, a man and former Christian Brother, was convicted of indecently assaulting 19 boys at CBS primary school on Stephen Street in Kilkenny between 1974 and 1978. A 1998 Garda investigation led to no prosecution, but a second investigation starting in 2010 resulted in charges; in May 2023 a jury found him guilty of 30 counts involving five other boys, and in October 2023 he was sentenced to four and a half years for the 19 counts to which he pleaded guilty. He was further convicted in 2026 for abuse at a school in Portarlington and sentenced to five years. Coughlan, aged 90, died in Mountjoy Prison in November 2026 while receiving palliative care.
Sentenced, 16 Oct 2023Convicted · 5 reports - Judge not ruling out serving Pope in Kilkenny sexual assault case Sexual assault · Co. Kilkenny
A man was sexually assaulted by Liam Coughlan, a 90-year-old man, at CBS school on Stephen Street, Kilkenny, in the 1970s. Coughlan was jailed in 2023 for sexually assaulting the man and 23 other former pupils, and was separately convicted of sexual assault of nine pupils at CBS Portarlington in the 1980s. The man is now suing the Christian Brothers congregation in the High Court, and after the congregation refused to name a nominee, 341 former members were joined as defendants and their names were published in a national newspaper. Judge Mary Rose Gearty said she would not rule out serving the Pope regarding Canon Law, and the matter was adjourned four weeks.
In court, 4 Aug 2026Convicted, accused · 2 reports - Former Christian Brother Liam Coughlan jailed for five years for indecent assault of nine boys in Portarlington Indecent assault · Co. Offaly
A 90-year-old former Christian Brother, Liam Coughlan, was found guilty on 10 July 2026 of 31 counts of indecent assault on nine boys at St Patrick's CBS primary school in Portarlington, Co Offaly, in the early to mid-1980s. He had pleaded not guilty and appeared by video link from prison at the Circuit Criminal Court, Portlaoise, where the jury took about an hour to convict him on all counts. On 24 July 2026, Judge Keenan Johnson sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, describing him as 'likely to die in prison' as he is already serving a 4.5-year sentence from a 2023 conviction for abusing 24 pupils in Kilkenny in the 1970s. Coughlan is receiving palliative care in Mountjoy Prison.
Sentenced, 24 Jul 2026Convicted · 2 reports
Timeline
every report naming Liam Coughlan, newest firstEach entry shows how that report described them.
- 5 Nov2026Former Christian Brother who sexually abused children in Kilkenny dies in prisonconvicted, Liam Coughlan, 90, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Coughlan
- 4 Nov2026Judge not ruling out contacting Pope over Canon Law in relation to Christian Brothers abuse caseaccused, Liam Coughlan, 90, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Coughlan
- 4 Aug2026Names of 341 former Christian Brothers published following court order in sex abuse caseconvicted, Liam Coughlan, 90, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Coughlan
- 24 Jul2026Former Christian Brother ‘likely to die in prison’ after being jailed for five yearsconvicted, Liam Coughlan, 90, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Coughlan
- 10 Jul2026Former Christian Brother convicted of sexual abuse of boys in Offaly school in 1980sconvicted, Liam Coughlan, 90, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Coughlan
- 21 Oct2023Former Christian Brother jailed for assaulting 19 boys investigated for alleged abuse in Co Laoisconvicted, Liam Coughlan, 87, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Coughlan
- 17 Oct2023Former Christian Brother jailed for four and a half years for sexual abuse of 19 boys in Kilkennyconvicted, Liam Coughlan, 87, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Coughlan
- 16 Oct2023Ex Christian Brother jailed for sexual abuse of 19 boysconvicted, Liam Coughlan, 87, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Coughlan
- 16 Oct2023Former Christian Brother (80s) jailed for sexual abuse of former students at Kilkenny school in 1970sconvicted, Liam Coughlan, 87, male, named, irish (judged from name)Liam Coughlan
Matched on the name as printed, ignoring quoted nicknames, and split by the ages reported. Two people who share a name and age would appear together here.