Former Donegal parish priest charged with seven more child sex offences

A former Inishowen parish priest, currently in custody on a charge of attempted sexual communication with a child, has been charged with seven further offences.

Fr Edward Gallagher, of Orchard Park in Lifford, had been returned to police custody for further questioning on Thursday, July 3.

At Friday’s sitting of Derry Magistrate's Court, the 58-year-old appeared in court once again to face seven more charges.

Fr Gallagher was charged with possessing an indecent image of a child on April 17, as well as a charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image on the same date.

He was also charged with making an indecent image of a child and distributing indecent images of a child, again on April 17.

Fr Gallagher was further charged with causing a child under-16 to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.

All of these alleged offences are said to have occurred on April 17 this year.

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Fr Gallagher appeared in the dock at the courthouse in Derry and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

A police officer told the court he believed he could connect the accused to the charges.

Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said he had no questions on the connection, while there would be no application for bail.

Fr Gallagher was remanded back into custody, and the case will next be heard on July 31.

Fr Gallagher, who was parish priest in Moville from 2022 until 2024, remains suspended from ministry. Most recently, he served as a curate at the Clonleigh, Camus and Leckpatrick parishes.