Catherine Corless thanks people of Mayo for support for Mother and Baby Home victims

AN Aughagower man who survived Tuam Mother and Baby Home is looking to set up a support group for fellow survivors.

Seosamh Ó Maolchróin spent the first years of his life in the notorious facility, where 791 babies are buried in an unmarked burial ground.

Extensive excavations are ongoing at the site to identify the remains of the children.

“After Christmas I would like to set up a survivors’ group. There’s an awful lot of people out there that don’t know what they are entitled to,” he said.

Mr Ó Maolchróin also thanked all those who attended and helped organise a vigil held in Aughagower in memory of the babies who died at Tuam Mother And Baby Home.

A large crowd attended the vigil in Aughagower Community Centre, including survivors and historian Catherine Corless – whose research helped reveal the number of babies buried in Tuam.

Mr Ó Maolchróin said that there are at least four babies buried at the site whose mothers hailed from Aughagower.

At least 208 mothers with Mayo addresses lived at Tuam Mother And Baby Home before it closed in 1961.

The site where the 796 babies are buried is now surrounded by a housing estate.

Last year, Mr Ó Maolchróin climbed Croagh Patrick seven times in memory of the seven babies who died at the facility the year he was born there.

He has been outspoken on the issue in recent times and has called for the babies buried in Tuam to be given a dignified burial.

Speaking to The Mayo News, Catherine Corless said she was ‘so grateful’ for the support shown towards the babies buried in Tuam and those who survived the facility.

Ms Corless said there had been ‘a very poor turnout’ for vigils organised in Tuam compared to the ceremonies which were organised in Mayo.

A gathering at Lough Lannagh in memory of the Tuam babies organised by Valerie Jennings drew hundreds of people last year.

“It’s a sad reflection on what happened there and how we got very very little support from Tuam except from a few decent people. As regards businesses, as regards authorities, they just turned their back on us altogether,” said Ms Corless.

“That’s why it means so much to me that the people of Mayo came out in their hundreds to support and they genuinely feel for those babies that were neglected and that died they way they did, and were buried the way they were.

“It’s an emotional time every time they [the survivors] get together, but there’s tears and there’s sadness and there’s pure empathy and love for those babies and it’s something I will never forget. I’m so grateful to those people who, genuinely, honestly have empathy for those babies.”

Ms Corless said she still receives correspondence from mother and baby home survivors who are unsure of their entitlements under the government’s Mother and Baby Home Redress scheme.

She added that many people were still ‘afraid’ to present themselves as survivors of the mother and baby homes.

“That really astounds me at this stage,” she said.

“The legacy goes on and it goes on to the second generation when those survivors have family themselves. There’s a sadness there and there’s an emptiness in them. It was the most tragic, horrific thing that happened here in Ireland over those decades.”

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