Reports: Notorious Waterford paedophile Bill Kenneally warned he may have foot amputated

Notorious Waterford child predator Bill Kenneally may have his foot amputated as his health deteriorates in Midlands prison, according to the Sunday World’s investigation reporter Patrick O’Connell.

Kenneally, who is now in his seventies, has continually struggled with health issues involving diabetes and blood pressure.

A former basketball coach, Kenneally is currently serving an 18-year sentence for the sexual abuse of more than 15 different boys spread out across three different decades (1970s-1990s). 

He was jailed in 2016, and received a further 4.5 years on his initial sentence in 2024.

An inquiry into Kenneally and his historic abuse is still ongoing.

Kenneally hailed from a strongly connected family. His grandfather, uncle and cousins all served as Waterford Fianna Fáil TDs.

It was those connections that prosecutors believed helped instil in Kenneally a sense he could act with absolute impunity.

Kenneally often followed a routine procedure in abusing his victims - meeting the boys through basketball coaching and grooming them through money and gifts before inflicting serious sexual abuse.

He would often photograph his starkly clad victims.

The Commission of Investigation into Kenneally’s crimes has amassed over 5,000 pages of testimony with at least 31 separate books of documents disclosure.

The commission was established in 2018 and set to examine how the State, politicians, the Catholic church and sporting organisations dealt with the allegations of sexual abuse made by teenage boys against Kenneally.