Ó Searcaigh confident he will be vindicated

Poet Cathal Ó Searcaigh, who has been at the centre of controversy over a film portraying his relationships with young men in Nepal, has said he is confident he will be "vindicated".

Ó Searcaigh said his life has suffered because of the screening of the documentary Fairytale of Kathmandu. In a statement to RTÉ's Late Late Show last night, Ó Searchaigh said he had "been deeply wounded by this film but I am confident in the fullness of times I will be vindicated".

The documentary, by filmmaker Neasa Ní Chianáin, was broadcast on RTÉ on Tuesday night. While Ms Ní Chianáin stressed that none of the young men was under 16, the age of consent in Nepal, she has expressed concern at the power disparity in Ó Searcaigh's relationships with teenagers because of his relative wealth and status as westerner. Ó Searcaigh said: "I need time to reconsider my life and to work out a way to come to terms with my situation."

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times