
Free State with Joe Brolly and Dion Fanning A Few Good Men: The past pupils who took on Blackrock College
Jan 10, 2026
In this engaging discussion, guests John Coulter and Corry McMahon, former pupils of Blackrock College, recount their harrowing school experiences and the abuse they faced. John, a finance professional and advocate for victim-survivors, and Corry, an auctioneer turned psychotherapist, share their journeys toward restorative justice. They emphasize the importance of acknowledgment and support for victims, the impact of social media in revealing past traumas, and the empowering role of restorative meetings in healing and reclaiming agency.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Classroom Abuse Normalized
- Corry McMahon describes priests like Father Curry and Father Flood openly touching boys in classrooms and private music practice.
- The behaviour was normalized and boys coped by laughing and nicknaming the priests rather than reporting it.
Pattern Revealed By Peer Reports
- John Coulter noticed 25 of 120 boys from his Willow Park year reported abuse after a Facebook thread.
- This clustering revealed a systemic problem rather than isolated incidents.
Impact Over Incident Type
- The men realised impact varies so objective judgments of abuse severity fail victims.
- They emphasise assessing subjective harm rather than ranking incidents.
