Demolition Plans Announced for Parochial House Linked to Accused Priest

Plans have been unveiled for the demolition of a parochial house in County Down, a location where the deceased priest Fr Malachy Finegan was alleged to have committed numerous sexual assaults. Situated on the Castlewellan Road in Hilltown, the structure is presently unoccupied and partly boarded, following damage sustained during an arson incident in 2023. The fate of the building has remained undecided since 2018, the year Sean Faloon, a resident of Hilltown, informed the BBC that Fr Finegan had subjected him to regular abuse starting at age 10, with some of these sexual assaults occurring within the parochial house. Years before the arson attack in 2023, an undisclosed threat had been made, indicating the building would be set ablaze. Fr Charlie Byrne, who serves as the current parish priest of Clonduff, disclosed the plan for demolition during a mass held on Saturday evening at St John the Evangelist Church Ballymaghery in Hilltown. Fr Byrne stated, “The last two years has given our parish finance committee and myself time to reflect and refocus our plans for parochial house, gardens and adjoining parish rooms.” The parochial house occupies a land parcel located between St Patrick’s Primary School and the church. Should the demolition proposal gain approval, the site will be repurposed as a car park drop-off zone for the school, and a new, specially designed parish centre will be erected nearer to the church. Fr Byrne commented, “We all have had a difficult journey deciding what is best here but we feel that this vision opens an exciting new chapter for the gardens of our school community and for our own parish community.” The proposals are scheduled to be presented at a meeting on 4 December, offering parishioners an opportunity to express their views. He further mentioned that the primary school had already reached its maximum capacity and required additional space, thus expressing hope for public backing of the car park initiative. Finegan’s name was not referenced when the finance committee’s proposals were presented to the congregation. The former parish priest of Clonduff, who passed away in 2002, also faced accusations of sexually abusing boys at St Colman’s College in Newry, where he served as a teacher from 1967 to 1976 and eventually became its headmaster. Nevertheless, he was never subjected to prosecution or police questioning regarding the allegations brought against him. The Catholic Diocese of Dromore has previously reached substantial financial settlements with certain victims of Finegan.