Kincora boy's home
Encyclopedia
The Kincora Boys' Home was a home for working boys in Belfast
that was the scene of a notorious child sex abuse
scandal
.
. On 3 April 1980 three members of staff at the home, William McGrath
, Raymond Semple and Joseph Mains, were charged with a number of offences relating to the systematic abuse of children in their care over a number of years. All three were later convicted and jailed. Mains, the former warden, received a term of six years, Semple, a former assistant warden, five years and McGrath four years.
McGrath was also the leader of an obscure loyalist
paramilitary
group, called Tara
.
had been informed of the abuse at the home for years previously, but had not moved to prevent it. In his 1999 book The Dirty War, Martin Dillon
claims that McGrath may have been employed by MI5
since the 1960s. The tabloid press then linked the home with a whole series of establishment figures without any evidence being provided.
Ian Paisley
, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party
and moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church
which he founded in 1951, was accused of failing to report the fact of McGrath's homosexuality to the relevant authorities although he initially denied ever being advised by his informant, a church member, Miss Valerie Shaw, that McGrath worked in a boys' home. McGrath was himself married with children. Paisley later gave more versions acknowledging learning from Miss Shaw about McGrath's homosexuality.
During this time, it is alleged by satirical magazine Private Eye, high ranking members of the Whitehall Civil Service and senior officers of the UK military were involved in the sexual abuse of boys in Kincora.
Secretary of State
under the Commissioner of Complaints, Stephen McGonagle
, to deal with these allegations, but it collapsed after three of its members resigned. Debates on Kincora in the Northern Ireland Assembly were held on 22 March and 9 November 1983. Another inquiry, under Judge William Hughes, was then announced in January 1984.
In December 1985, Judge Hughes reported after his lengthy public inquiry. The view that there was a more extensive 'ring' operating at the home was not accepted. This inquiry reported many years before abuse on an extensive scale was uncovered in care homes in the Irish Republic and Britain.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
that was the scene of a notorious child sex abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
.
Scandal
The scandal first came to public attention in January 1980 after a news report in the Irish IndependentIrish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
. On 3 April 1980 three members of staff at the home, William McGrath
William McGrath (loyalist)
William McGrath was a loyalist from Northern Ireland who founded the far-right organisation Tara in the 1960s, having also been prominent in the Orange Order until his expulsion due to his paedophilia...
, Raymond Semple and Joseph Mains, were charged with a number of offences relating to the systematic abuse of children in their care over a number of years. All three were later convicted and jailed. Mains, the former warden, received a term of six years, Semple, a former assistant warden, five years and McGrath four years.
McGrath was also the leader of an obscure loyalist
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
group, called Tara
Tara (Northern Ireland)
Tara was a loyalist movement in Northern Ireland that espoused a brand of evangelical Protestantism.The group was first formed in 1966 by William McGrath from an independent Orange lodge that he controlled. It was intended as an outlet for virulent anti-Catholicism...
.
Allegations
Allegations were later made that the Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
had been informed of the abuse at the home for years previously, but had not moved to prevent it. In his 1999 book The Dirty War, Martin Dillon
Martin Dillon
Martin Dillon is an author and journalist from Northern Ireland. He worked for eighteen years at the BBC and has written a number of plays and novels, but he is best known for his non-fiction books about the Troubles....
claims that McGrath may have been employed by MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
since the 1960s. The tabloid press then linked the home with a whole series of establishment figures without any evidence being provided.
Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
and moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
which he founded in 1951, was accused of failing to report the fact of McGrath's homosexuality to the relevant authorities although he initially denied ever being advised by his informant, a church member, Miss Valerie Shaw, that McGrath worked in a boys' home. McGrath was himself married with children. Paisley later gave more versions acknowledging learning from Miss Shaw about McGrath's homosexuality.
During this time, it is alleged by satirical magazine Private Eye, high ranking members of the Whitehall Civil Service and senior officers of the UK military were involved in the sexual abuse of boys in Kincora.
Health Board response
In response to growing coverage in the media, the Eastern Health and Social Services Board decided to institute a policy of not employing "homosexuals" in any caring roles . Some perfectly innocent individuals in other homes were discovered and dismissed. Although the policy was finally overturned by the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services, the damage was done and an inevitable chill factor set in.Inquiry
A "private inquiry" was set up in 1982 by James Prior, the Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
Secretary of State
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
under the Commissioner of Complaints, Stephen McGonagle
Stephen McGonagle
Stephen McGonagle was a Northern Irish and Irish trade unionist.Born in Derry, Ireland, McGonagle worked as a plumber. He joined the Derry Labour Party, a small anti-partitionist grouping, but resigned in 1946 in protest at its alliance with the Nationalist Party, instead joining the Northern...
, to deal with these allegations, but it collapsed after three of its members resigned. Debates on Kincora in the Northern Ireland Assembly were held on 22 March and 9 November 1983. Another inquiry, under Judge William Hughes, was then announced in January 1984.
In December 1985, Judge Hughes reported after his lengthy public inquiry. The view that there was a more extensive 'ring' operating at the home was not accepted. This inquiry reported many years before abuse on an extensive scale was uncovered in care homes in the Irish Republic and Britain.