An 80-year-old man who was a school principal of a rural school in Co Clare has been found guilty of sexually assaulting eleven former pupils at his school over a 21 year period from 1964 to 1985.
Former school principal of Moyasta National School in West Clare, Mr Pat Barry with an address of Well Road, Kilkee and a former principal of , has denied 67 charges of indecent assaults on eleven women when they attended the school as pupils.
The eleven victims which is believed to have included four sisters, have described how he used to molest them at every opportunity and practically every day.
They told the court how Mr Barry indecently assaulted them as he sat beside them at their desks, and when he sat at a high stool and called them to the top of the class.
Mr Barry has denied all the charges and has claimed the allegations were untrue. Mr Barry has claimed that the women had a false memory of what had happened.
The jury has found Barry guilty of 59 charges. Barry was found not guilty on the remaining eight charges by order of Judge Gerald Keyes.
The victims hugged each other and some are believed to have broke down when the guilty verdicts were read out.
The court was told that it was their express wish that the accused man be named. Mr Barry has been placed on the sex offenders register, he is due to be sentenced on 28th October.