Mark Coughlan (one of the sharpest writers in the Irish blogosphere) has this extraordinary precedent to the story from Listowel yesterday only this time rather just express sympathy with the perpetrator local people actually appeared to turn on a rape victim from five years ago in the nearby village of Duagh. Mark takes up the story:
…a man named Liam Sheehy raped a local woman in her car. She was giving him a lift home from the town when he pulled the handbrake and raped her.
During the trial a retired principal of the local community college gave character evidence on his behalf, as did the local parish priest, a supervisor in Munster Electronics and a well-respected veterinary surgeon. Despite this he was sentenced to seven years in prison by a jury of his peers.
Although Sheehy had no personal involvement in what Mr Justice Morris called “disgraceful conduct by misguided persons” around Duagh in a campaign against the rape victim and her family, one did emerge.
In the more recent case, the character witness was given by Castlegregory parish priest Fr Seán Sheehy…
Ditto Mark’s suggestion for sending donataions to the Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre… It seems they have a hell of a job on their hands down there…
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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