A man whose father lost their family home to a neighbour in a game of cards has alleged he was one of six boys sexually abused by a Christian Brother after being sent to a Galway school when eight years old.

The now 50-year-old man claimed he was made leave the school weeks before he was due to sit the Group Certificate in 1974 because he threatened the brother with a glass bottle and warned him not "to come near me anymore".

He also told prosecuting counsel, Mr Eanna Mulloy SC, at the trial of the brother at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court , that he once saw a picture in a newspaper of his father eating razor blades and light bulbs in "a bet over a pint."

The 72-year-old accused has pleaded not guilty to 35 counts of indecently assaulting six pupils between 1967 and 1973 when they were residents at the school.

The man told Mr Mulloy he was abused by several people at the school from when he was sent there at the age of eight to when he left at 14.

He rejected archive evidence presented by defence counsel, Mr Hugh Hartnett SC, that the accused wasn't even teaching in the school in 1974 and had been moved to a school in Dublin the previous year.

"That's what he's saying, I'm saying he brought me to the train station when I left the school," he replied, adding that the archives could have being altered to protect the accused.

He continued: "I'm sticking to my story. You're saying that but I know of other cases where Brothers were moved around the country under other names."

He told Mr Mulloy he was sent to the school at eight years of age after growing up with an alcoholic father and disabled mother and they had been living in a mobile home after his father lost their house to a neighbour over a game of cards.

He said during his time at the school he thought he was sexually abused "30 or 40" times by various brothers and had been penetrated on one occasion, but not by the accused.

He said the accused would keep him back after the boys had showered and inspect behind his ears for dirt. If dirt was found he was made clean out the shower room as punishment.