Irish Sunday Mirror

I want justice for my baby girl... nuns need to be arrested Survivor demands Garda probe into scandal at Bessboroug­h home

- BY SYLVIA POWNALL

the babies who died.” In February Ann, 65, lodged a missing person’s complaint relating to her daughter Evelyn who she gave birth to at the home in 1971.

She heard her baby cry in the delivery room but passed out in agony, and when she woke three days later the nuns told her Evelyn was dead.

But they refused to show her where her baby was buried, and inaccuraci­es on her birth and death certificat­es have left Ann deeply suspicious.

In a letter hand-delivered on Friday to gardai in Cork, Ann said: “I am writing about the case of my daughter Evelyn born in Bessboroug­h, which I reported back in February. I wanted to let you know to check the Mother and Baby Commission fifth report, which is on their website at mbhcoi.ie. It looks like religious orders have been obstructin­g the commission. “So I would like nuns in Bessboroug­h to be questioned under caution so we can get the truth about Evelyn.” The order’s role in the running of Bessboroug­h was criticised in the report which was published on Wednesday. It said it was “very difficult to comprehend” how nuns had no informatio­n as to where over 800 children who died in their care are buried. The report confirms 900 children died in Bessboroug­h but after five years of “extensive inquiries” it could Fintan Dunne

Ann O’gorman and, inset, Bessboroug­h only find the final resting place for 64. MBHCOI said although it was “highly likely” burials took place, it does not have enough evidence to warrant excavation of the 60-acre site.

The Irish First Mothers group has called for a full geophysica­l examinatio­n and said the religious order should be questioned by gardai.

Spokespers­on Fintan Dunne added: “We’re talking about mass graves. This is genocide. This shows the toothlessn­ess of the commission. The nuns are laughing at the commission.”

A spokespers­on for Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone said the commission had “significan­t statutory powers” which are not available to the minister.

news@irishmirro­r.ie

 ??  ?? TRAGIC LOSS
TRAGIC LOSS
 ??  ?? CRITICISM
CRITICISM

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