Army chaplain forgives boy who stabbed him

An Irish army chaplain has offered forgiveness to a 17-year-old boy who stabbed him at a barracks.

At a court hearing, Father Paul Murphy also hugged the teenager who pleaded guilty to attempting to murder him.

The priest was stabbed multiple times at Renmore Barracks in Galway in August 2024.

The Central Criminal Court in Dublin heard that the boy, who was 16 at the time, supported the so-called Islamic State (IS) group and had been radicalised online.

During the pre-sentencing hearing, Father Murphy turned to his attacker and said: "As a man of faith, I am in the business of forgiveness, and I offer to you, the young man standing accused before me, the forgiveness that will hopefully help you to become a better person."

The priest said he hoped the boy would use whatever resources were put at his disposal in prison or beyond to learn a better way of living, and that he would use his energy and talents to make the world a better place for all people to live.

The boy replied that he was sorry.

Father Murphy went on to say: "We all have to take responsibility for our actions and while I can personally forgive my attacker, the fact remains that he has committed an appalling crime."

He spoke to the boy after the court proceedings were adjourned and hugged him as the boy apologised again.

CCTV footage showed showed Father Murphy driving his jeep through the gates of the barracks, after the teenager began stabbing him with a hunting knife.

The boy hung on to the side of the vehicle and continued to stab the priest as the car moved.

Father Murphy said: "If it wasn't me it would have been someone else, and I am convinced, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was the right person, in the right place, at the right time - that night was filled with blessings."

He added: "I thank God every single day that the knife tore through my skin, and not through the body of one of my comrades.

"I consider it an honour and a privilege to carry those scars until my dying day."

The judge said he would sentence the boy on the 29 April.