A teacher accused of the indecent assault of 10 primary school boys in Sligo over an 18-year period has gone on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Patrick Curran (59), a teacher at St John's National School, Temple Street, Sligo, since July 1966, has pleaded not guilty to 237 counts of indecently assaulting 10 different boys between September 1966 and June 1984.
Senior counsel Enna Mulloy, prosecuting, told the jury that 10 former pupils of St John's who were now men in their 30s and 40s would say that between the ages of eight and 12 they were subjected to touching and rubbing which the prosecution would say was indecent.
Mr Mulloy, with Fergal Foley, said that the accused, despite being a tall man, would ease or wedge himself beside the boys in the school desks at which they sat.
He would allegedly do this under cover of correcting a boy's homework or while another pupil was at the blackboard.
The jury would hear that Mr Curran would place his hand on a knee and move it up both over and under clothing, and would squeeze, rub and touch the boys.
Mr Mulloy told the jury it would hear that these incidents took place on a regular basis during school terms, and that they were unwanted and caused distress and confusion.
A man who is the complainant in respect of 44 of the charges told the jury that Mr Curran, his teacher for four years, would touch him in what he considered to be a sexual manner.
"I can still feel, remember, see, him holding my hand there, putting pressure on it."
The man said that this happened to him on a regular basis, sometimes more than once a day.
The trial continues before Judge Michael White and a jury of 10 men and two women.