SUNDAY WORLD APOLOGY FOR LIBELLING NORA WALL

 [On 11 July 1999 the Sunday World published an obscene libel on Nora Wall. This was AFTER she had been convicted of rape but just BEFORE the case against her collapsed. The article by crime correspondent Paul Williams, claimed that she had procured children for Father Brendan Smyth. No such allegation was made during her trial but the World figured that, once she was convicted of rape, they could get away with any libel.

The following article comprises
the apology published by the Sunday World on 27 October 2002 - as you can see, it was not easy to track down
the original libel dated 11 July 1999
a Phoenix magazine article dated 8 November 2002 giving some information about the libel case. It neither names Paul Williams nor indicates the nature of the libel - and it was the most detailed account in the media!!

Rory Connor
20 October 2007]

http://www.alliancesupport.org/news/archives/002022.html

A small one column wide article appeared on the top right hand corner of page 3 as follows:

APOLOGY:
NORA WALL:

"In our edition of July 11, 1999, grave allegations were made in respect of Nora Wall.

"These groundless allegations reflected seriously on her character. We unreservedly withdraw these allegations.

"We wish to apologise sincerely to Nora Wall for the harm caused to her and her family."

Remainder of Page 3
Apart from an advertisement for Ringtones (Itself much larger than the Apology) page 3 was dominated by a large photo of Kerry McFadden (formerly 'Atomic Kitten' Kerry Katona) under the headline "I'M NOT A POP BITCH'. Under a second headline "Kerry Crushes Star Wannabees" the story begins as follows:

"TV personality Kerry McFadden admitted she was wracked with guilt after crushing the hopes of Irish pop wannabees in new talent series You're a Star."

This is the Sunday World concept of "Guilt"!

http://www.alliancesupport.org/news/archives/002021.html

Sunday World, July 11, 1999 (Front Page)

Rape Nun's Abuse Pact with Smyth

EXCLUSIVE by PAUL WILLIAMS

EVIL NUN Nora Wall, convicted for helping to rape a ten-year-old child, also secretly provided children for sick paedophile priest Father Brendan Smyth.

The Sunday World has learned that depraved cleric regularly visited St. Michael's Childcare Centre in County Waterford where Wall, then known as Sister Dominic, was working.

Last month Wall was the first woman to be convicted of rape in Ireland .

She was found guilty of helping to hold down a ten year old child who was in her care while her drunken accomplice Paul McCabe raped her.

FULL SHOCKING STORY: Page 6

Victims claim Evil Wall provided kids to the Paedo Priest

Victims of evil nun Nora Wall have claimed that she provided children to paedophile priest Father Brendan Smyth.

Nora Wall (51) is the first woman in the Republic to be convicted of rape.

Last month she was found guilty of holding down a 10 year old girl while depraved drunk Paulo McCabe raped her.

McCabe has also been convicted of the rape which took place at St. Michael's care home in Cappoquin in County Waterford which was run by Wall.

But this week a counsellor who works with the victims of this horror home revealed that Fr. Brendan Smyth may have abused children there.

Recognised
And she was supported by a former male inmate who was also sexually abused in the home.

According to the sources who spoke to the Sunday World yesterday victims at the home instantly recognised the paedophile priest when his picture was first shown on newspapers and on television.

Gardai are now understood to be investigating what links he had with Cappoquin throughout the 1970s.

I remember a priest who used to come to the home regularly and bring children with him on trips to Donegal. That priest was Fr. Brendan Smyth?said the victim who did not wish to be identified.

And the counsellor who has been working with the victims told us: "The information is very reliable and also very disturbing."

The claims are now likely to lead to a much larger Garda investigation into the possibility that Nora Wall, who is due for sentence in two weeks, was part of a religious-based paedophile ring.

A number of victims who came forward to help put Nora Wall behind bars have already been asked by Gardai about the sick cleric who destroyed the lives of at least 100 children and brought down a Government.

'Respected'
Smyth is known to have travelled throughout the country both north and south, sexually abusing innocent children and using his position as a 'respected' cleric to get away with it.

Nora Wall was convicted last month on two charges of raping Regina Walsh when she was just ten years old.

The offences took place between January 1987 and January 1990.

Regina Walsh, who is now 21, told the Central Criminal Court how Wall held her legs while her friend Paul McCabe, a decrepit drunk, raped her.

Wall also molested and sexually assaulted the innocent youngster who was put into the nun's care at the age of six.

The tot asked the woman who would be her tormentor: "Are you going to be my mammy?"

Said Regina of her ordeal: "She (Wall) beat us with sticks, pots and pans, a chain, but mostly with her fists"

Ordeal
Wall's victims are now planning to sue the Sisters of Mercy and the authorities for allowing them to suffer such an appalling ordeal.

And they want a much more extensive Garda investigation to expose other child abusers at the home and the involvement of clerical paedophile like Brendan Smyth.

http://www.alliancesupport.org/news/archives/002020.html

Phoenix Magazine 8 November 2002

Worst Libels Nora Wall

"THE Sunday Worst recently published an unqualified and wholehearted apology to Nora Wall for a story they published three years ago, although the apology did not refer to any aspect of the original report that might have provoked a protest from Wall.. However there was nothing abstract about the settlement that the newspaper made with Wall and the Worst had to cough up E175,000 to the former nun.

"The newspaper baldly referred to the fact that their " groundless allegations reflected seriously on her character" and went on to "unreservedly withdraw" the allegations and "apologise sincerely" to Wall. The former Mercy sister's conviction for rape was quashed within days of receiving a life sentence in July, 1999, following a travesty of a trial involving some highly dubious evidence and accusations of bad faith levelled by the defence against the prosecution. The ex-nun was incredibly, convicted of participation in a "gang rape" following evidence that she held down a child while a male friend of hers raped the minor.

"In that context, comment about Wall and the evidence against her may have been legally defensible if published before the quashing of the conviction. However, the Worst published a lurid story about Wall that bore no relation to the evidence against her in the rape trial. Even this would have been legally defensible were it not for the quashing of Wall's conviction which came after the Worst's article on her."

http://www.alliancesupport.org/news/archives/002019.html