Relay walkers shone a light for Tuam babies
Tom Shiel
A survivor of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home – his voice charged with emotion – read the names of the first infants to die at the infamous location at the gable of a Co. Mayo cottage as dawn broke on Sunday morning.
Seosamh O’Maolchroin was the first in a long relay of walkers who carried a lantern from Jack’s Cottage at Islandeady, near Castlebar, some 50 kilometres to Tuam, where it was later reverently placed at the babies’ remembrance site by a young girl.
A survivor of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home – his voice charged with emotion – read the names of the first infants to die at the infamous location at the gable of a Co. Mayo cottage as dawn broke on Sunday morning.
Seosamh O’Maolchroin was the first in a long relay of walkers who carried a lantern from Jack’s Cottage at Islandeady, near Castlebar, some 50 kilometres to Tuam, where it was later reverently placed at the babies’ remembrance site by a young girl.
Catherine Corless, a local historian in Tuam, was the first to uncover the shocking fact that 796 babies died at the Tuam site and that some of them were interred in a site for a septic tank.
Mr. O’Maolchroin, who spent some time as in infant with his mother in the Tuam home, told reporters he felt “very emotional” about the 796 infants who died there.
“To think that nothing has been done about them”, he continued. The State failed them and the Church failed them. Society also stood idly by.
“I count myself very lucky. I am not a victim. I am a survivor”.
Two friends from the Islandeady area, Valerie Jennings and Deirdre Moylett, came up with the idea of the walk which involved participants from west Mayo, south Mayo and north Galway.
“It’s time we remembered these little babies, 796 in all”, said Valerie Jennings. “They’ll all be named today at various locations along the route. There were four sets of twins which means 792 mothers gave birth,
“Some of the mothers are still alive. They have no idea where their babies are. We need to remember them all – innocent babies and their mothers”.
Deirdre Moylett emphasised: “This walk has nothing to do with politics or religion or fund raising.
“This is in remembrance of the beautiful babies, the precious mothers and the brave survivors.”
Prior to the lantern being taken from the gable wall of Jack’s cottage, it hung above “A Little Light of Love” banner designed by Catherine Corless,
On the marathon route to Tuam, families and individuals turned out in large numbers holding candles and glowing lanterns in gestures of support for the remembrance initiative.
“This is in remembrance of the beautiful babies, the precious mothers and the brave survivors,” explained Valerie Jennings before departure.