Sony BMG withdraws McFadden video after Catholic students taunted

Published: 2004-11-24

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- A promotional pop video for Brian McFadden, a former member of the popular Irish boy band Westlife, has caused students at a Dublin school to be taunted about allegations of child abuse. Sony BMG recalled copies of the video sent to television stations worldwide after officials at St. Fintan's High School claimed they had been unfairly identified. The video depicted McFadden as a taxi driver driving around north Dublin and reminiscing about his childhood. Although St. Fintan's High School was not depicted in the video, at one stage McFadden was shown standing beside school railings bearing the plaque "St. Fintan's Boys' School" while he sang about being gay and being subjected to corporal punishment by Christian Brothers. Although McFadden went to a Christian Brothers school, at no time was he a pupil at St. Fintan's.

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