Locals hold ‘White Ribbon’ protest

MEMBERS of the public stood outside the Bons Secours Hospital in Tralee late on Friday evening as they staged a ‘White Ribbon’ protest against the role that the Bon Secours nuns played in the Mother and Child Home scandal that has recently been uncovered in Tuam, Galway.

Organised by Brian Finucane of People Before Profit, the protesters wore and held a number of white ribbons on their clothes in an effort to show solidarity with the large number of women who suffered abuse in Bons Secours run homes nationwide in the last century.

“What sparked off this protest was the Tuam babies but really, this has been an ongoing issue for many years now; we believe that things have come to a head now from what has arisen from Tuam,” said Brian, speaking to The Kerryman on Monday about what caused him to organise the Tralee protest on just two days notice.

“This was a nationwide protest organised by members of People Before Profit where similiar protests were held outside Bons Secours hospitals around the country,” he continued.

“Things like this cannot continue anymore and with our protest, we wanted to demand the truth.”

“Due to the role that the Bon Secours nuns played in what happened in Tuam, we feel that something can be done to honour those lost in those horrible circumstances; a statue in the grounds of the Bon Secours hospitals perhaps,” he finished.

All photos by Fergus Dennehy. Members of the public pictured holiding their ‘White Ribbon’ protest outside the Bons Secours Hospital in Tralee on Friday evening.

Celia Taylor Currow, Sheila Kevins Currans, Gabrielle Howard and Rose Riordan Currans pictured outside the Bons in Tralee.