COLM O'GORMAN, the first Irish victim of abuse within the Catholic Church to speak out, has signed an international book deal with a major publishing house in London.The North Wexford resident, who last year ran as a candidate in the general election with the Progressive Democrats, and now heads up Amnesty International in Ireland, signed the deal for an undisclosed figure in recent weeks.
Colm told this newspaper this week that he had been approached about writing a book 'several times' over the years, but didn't feel it was the right time, due to his involvement with the 'One in Four' organisation, which he founded.
'I felt very strongly if I ever did write a book, it couldn't just be about what happened,' he said. 'It had to have a message, and I needed to get to a point where I understood what that message might be'.
Following a Panorama programme several years ago, literary agent Caroline Wood, flew to Ireland and met Colm. 'We talked over what type of book I might write - I didn't want to write a misery memoir,' he added.
The election campaign intervened, and the project was put on the backburner, and it was only last May when Colm returned to the project. A proposal went to publishers in the summer, and the decision was made at the end of the summer to go with publishers Headline'.
'I felt they understood the type of book I wanted to write and what book they wanted to carry,' explained Colm, adding that the book is already two thirds written, with the final man-
'Hodder uscript expected by Christmas.
He said that his new role with Amnesty has given him a new frame of reference for the book.
Hodder and Stoughton's website lists the publication date as June 11 next year. The book will be entitled 'Beyond Belief '. In its description of the book, the publisher states 'this is a book about tremendous courage. It is the true story of a little boy who grew up in Ireland and suffered horrific sexual abuse at the hands of the person he and his family should have been able to trust most in the world - his parish priest'.
'Colm's abuser, Father Seán Fortune, was regularly invited to his home for tea and was respected as the moral cornerstone of the community. But he was secretly molesting and raping dozens of young boys entrusted to his care'.
It goes on to say that the legal case Colm took 'would go on to be one of the more shocking and significant trials in Irish history. During the investigation, Colm discovered that not only had the Catholic Church been fully aware of Father Seán Fortune and allegations that had been made against him, but they failed to intervene to stop the priest's campaign of terror. Colm sued the Church for negligence and won'.
It is expected the book will be published in Ireland, the UK, the US, Australia and other countries.
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(Source: II)