A FORMER TRAINEE priest has launched High Court proceedings against Independent News and Media (INM).

Conor Gannon, who is being represented by Thomas A Walsh & Co solicitors in Kilkenny, issued the proceedings on Wednesday.

INM publishes a number of newspapers including the Irish Independent.

It’s understood the legal action relates to an article which claimed two unnamed seminarians were sent home from the Pontifical Irish College in Rome last year.

The article first appeared in the Irish Times in May 2018 and was then reported by a number of other media outlets.

Gannon issued legal proceedings against the Irish Times last May. He issued legal proceedings against Independent Star Limited, which publishes the Irish Daily Star, in July.

Gannon launched a High Court action against News Group Newspapers, a subsidiary of News Corp which publishes The Sun, in October. 

Alcohol 

In May, the Irish Catholic reported that one of the men in question was taking legal action to clear his good name over “widespread lurid allegations” which he denied. 

One source told the newspaper the seminarians had only been “disciplined over concerns around excessive alcohol consumption”.

“It is also claimed that both men were not dismissed from the college, as reported in the media, but left of their own accord,” the article notes.

Thomas & Co Solicitors and INM said they are not in a position to comment on the legal proceedings. TheJournal.ie has contacted the Catholic Communications Office.

Comments are closed due to ongoing legal proceedings.