A man who was raped by his cousin as a nine-year-old child has said he wanted to speak out to help others faced with "similar horrors".
Dylan Gallagher told the Central Criminal Court his childhood was stolen by his 15-year-old cousin Noel Gallagher who raped him at a family farm some time between 2006 and 2007.
Noel Gallagher, 33, from Dadreen, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, has been sentenced to four years in jail by Mr Justice David Keane who praised Dylan Gallagher's strength, resilience, dignity and perseverance.
Noel Gallagher was convicted by a jury by unanimous verdict last April having denied the charges.
Dylan Gallagher, who is now 27, said the trial process and "being cross examined as if I was a liar" took an "indescribable toll" on him and his family.
The court heard Noel Gallagher continues to maintain his innocence and does not accept the jury's verdict.
He has shown no remorse, has made no apology and has not made any effort to make amends or to undergo rehabilitation.
Mr Justice Keane said it was impossible to listen to the victim impact statement given by Dylan Gallagher last week without intense admiration for his strength and resilience as well as the quiet dignity and perseverance he had demonstrated during the long legal process.
The judge said aggravating factors included Dylan Gallagher's age at the time and the profound impact the offence had on him. In mitigation, he said Noel Gallagher was 15 at the time and has no other convictions.
Two of Noel Gallagher's brothers, Aidan and Thomas Gallagher, are already serving prison sentences for the sexual assault of another cousin, Danielle Gallagher, between 1999 and 2003.
At the sentence hearing, Detective Garda Anna Marie McHale told prosecuting counsel Kathleen Noctor SC that the accused was 15 at the time of the offence.
The court was told that Noel Gallagher went with his younger cousin Dylan to a farm shed and mentioned sex. Dylan Gallagher recalled his older cousin laughing at him because he asked "what does that mean?"
The court was told Dylan was then raped by his cousin and he did not know what was happening to him.
Noel Gallagher told his victim to keep it a secret, in an "aggressive manner", the court was told.
The court heard that Dylan Gallagher remembered being "confused, dazed and disgusted" in the aftermath while the accused seemed fine.
Dylan Gallagher later avoided going to the relative's house and in 2019 made a disclosure to his parents.
He estimated the time of the offence by reference to his first visit to Croke Park which was in 2006 and he knew the rape had taken place after that.
He kept the rape secret for 13 years and had sporadic communication with Noel Gallagher who had called him a "gay c**t" and a "gay w****r" on snap chat and Dylan Gallagher replied "I could do you".
He made a statement to gardaí in December 2020. Noel Gallagher denied the charges and told gardaí that Dylan Gallagher was only ever at the house when his parents and siblings were there.
His barrister Maurice Coffey SC said his client has no other convictions and had maintained his innocence throughout his interviews with gardaí and during the trial. Mr Coffey said his client did not accept the verdict.
Mr Coffey said it was a "sad case involving cousins" and said the court could not lose sight of the fact that both were children. He said at such a young age a male lacks maturity in terms of brain development and the "maturity and moral culpability of a 15-year-old can be extremely lacking".
Describing it as a "once off incident with devastating consequences for the victim", Mr Coffey said his client was immature at the time. Since his conviction he had been in custody, often on 23 hour lock up which was very difficult.
He submitted a number of testimonials on Noel Gallagher's behalf, including one from his wife and mother of his two children.
'Changed for life'
In an emotional victim impact statement, Dylan Gallagher said he remembered a photograph taken of himself in the garden of his home "kitted out in my Mayo GAA gear" in the run up to the All-Ireland Final in 2006.
"I remember that boy being happy and cheerful with no worries in the world and loving life. That was before this happened and I was changed for life."
He went on to describe how as a nine-year-old boy he was raped by his cousin Noel Gallagher at a family farm in Louisburgh.
"It was just a normal Sunday after we had attended our local church for mass," he said adding that as a nine-year old boy he did not know what was happening and did what he was told to do by an older cousin he trusted.
He said the "horrific incident" had a major negative impact on his life and "will always be at the back of my mind".
He described it as "a disgusting memory I will never be able to forget", adding: "For years I thought I was different from everybody else. Every time I looked in the mirror as a child and even to this very day I will always have that gruesome memory in the back of my head. It will never leave. Any time I looked through old photos I could distinctly point out to myself if it was either before or after the rape."
He said it was a "dreadful memory I have kept hidden for 13 years".
He said the rape had impacted him deeply and he never had a proper relationship with his parents because he could not open up to them. He said it was particularly difficult because it involved his father's family.
When Noel Gallagher moved abroad his feelings eased but when he returned Dylan Gallagher said he could not face work or college and began feeling suicidal.
"Because of what happened to me I would lie to my mother when she would sit beside me on the bed asking if I was ok and what was wrong with me, especially when I wouldn't return home for days."
He said he used alcohol and drugs to block things out and had put his family through hell.
He said Gaelic football got him through his early teenage years and was his "saviour" but he lost interest in football as an older teen when he began to realise what had happened to him and his "world crumbled".
As he got older he felt the pain more intensely affecting school and college performance and leading to depression.
"If I hadn't come out and told the truth I would not be here today to tell my story," he said, describing how after being suicidal for years he told his family in 2019 what had happened to him.
"He took my childhood, my teens and my early adulthood away from me. The trauma I endure daily has left me emotionally and mentally scarred, haunted by memories that are an unrelenting nightmare. My innocence was stolen, leaving me in a state of despair and enduring pain that seems never ending."
Describing the effect the court case had on him, Dylan Gallagher said the process was long and gruelling, placing severe and relentless pressure on him, his family and friends.
"Having to sit in a courtroom for almost two weeks was exhausting ... but then getting cross examined and being made out to be a liar was one of the worst feelings I ever had."
Despite the "indescribable toll" the trial took on him he said he believed it was worth it in the end.
"Seeking justice and reclaiming my voice gives meaning to the suffering, ensuring that no one else has to endure what I have experienced. It was never going to be easy for a male victim to come forward, especially when family is involved.
"This has had, and will continue to have, a profound impact on my life going forward.
"The courage it took to break the silence is immense, but I hope my actions can pave the way for others who face similar horrors."
Speaking outside the court, Dylan Gallagher said coming forward with his story was "the best thing I've ever done".
"Coming forward with my story has been incredibly difficult, especially as I'm a male victim and it’s my family involved, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever done," Dylan Gallagher said.
He added: "It has brought me some relief and hope. I want to ensure no one else has to suffer like I did. I hope my voice can inspire others to speak up and seek justice, just like someone close to my heart inspired me.
"It is easier to speak out rather than keep it a secret and stay in the darkness. It is a horrible place and I’m lucky to be here today."
Dylan Gallagher told reporters: "Between 2006 and 2007, just a nine-year-old boy, I was raped by my older cousin who was 15 at the time. This happened nearly 18 years ago.
"I kept it a secret to myself 13 of those 18 years, before I hit breaking point. This traumatic experience has deeply affected my life, caused years of depression, isolation, lack of confidence and was suicidal.
"The trauma of the rape not only affects me, but also deeply affects my family members.
"I struggled to keep this a secret as I was losing the will to live. I had no interest in life, which damaged my teenage years and led me to turn to alcohol and drugs to cope."
He thanked the Mayo Rape Crisis Centre, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and the members of An Garda Síochána who supported him.
"A special thanks to my family and friends who have stuck by me from day one and are always behind me. There's too many to thank, you all know who you are. The support has been immense. I wouldn’t be able to do it without them all."
He said that he wanted to come forward to "put the wrongs right".
"It’s extremely difficult" for men to come forward, he said. "You don’t really hear male victims coming forward. I had to do it. If I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t be here today."
"I’m happy with the sentencing to be honest. I can get closure from this now, to move on with my life."
