Ireland's Protected Predator My Story of Surviving Bill Kenneally’s Reign of Terror and How He Evaded Justice for Decades

by McGarrigle, Saoirse; Clancy, Jason

• ISBN13: 9781785375231
• ISBN10: 1785375237
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2025-09-05
• Publisher: Merrion Press

Summary

Through the eyes of one of convicted paedophile Bill Kenneally’ s many victims, Ireland’ s Protected Predator takes readers on a harrowing journey through his brutal reign of terror. This shocking story explores the former basketball coach and Fianna Fa´ il activist’ s warped obsession with handcuffs and how he blackmailed powerless children into silence by threatening to circulate Polaroid images taken during these depraved attacks. Masquerading as a respected member of the community, he escaped justice for more than three decades with the help of many in our society who are meant to protect us. Jason Clancy recounts his journey from his traumatised teenage years to successfully campaigning for a Commission of Investigation to examine how Bill Kenneally was allowed to continue roaming the streets preying on innocent boys decades after admitting to torturing them. For the first time, this book delves into the more sinister question of how Bill Kenneally escaped justice for decades - and whether the those in authority positions were complicit in covering up his crimes.

Author Biography

Saoirse McGarrigle is a journalist. She has worked with RTE´ News, the Irish Mirror and a number of different local media organisations. She is currently doing a PhD at the School of Law and Government in DCU. Saoirse, together with Jason, investigated and pursued this story for almost 10 years. She is a mother of three and lives in Wexford with her children. Jason Clancy endured years of sexual abuse at the hands of Bill Kenneally during the 1980s. He found the strength to make a report to Gardai´ in 2012, igniting the criminal investigation which led to a prosecution. Since Bill Kenneally’ s sentencing in 2016, Jason has successfully campaigned for a public inquiry to expose the authorities who should have stopped Kenneally sooner. He is a married father of four and lives in County Waterford.

Table of Contents

Preface Prologue: February 2016 1. The ‘ Kennedys’ of Waterford 2. The Raid 3. Handcuffs and Hunger Strikes 4. Mistaken Identity 5. From a ‘ Hotshot Lawyer’ to Leinster House 6. Confess Your Sins and Go Free 7. Smithwick’ s and a Sting 8. ‘ They Would be Killed or Hurt if They Told’ 9. ‘ Arm Twisted’ to Join the City Council 10. ‘ I’ m Eating My Lunch!’ 11. The Doctors’ Debacle 12. ‘ Help Keep it Out of the Media’ 13. ‘ Long Overdue Apology’ 14. From Courtroom to the Courtside 15. The Prisoner’ s Poison Pen 16. Coming Face to Face with Evil ... Again 17. Bill Kenneally’ s Testimony 18. Tapping Away at My Privacy 19. Final Report