Colm FitzpatrickDear Editor, Sarah Carey’s article, ‘Wild exaggerations piled on Tuam story’ (IC 12/6/14) links nicely with David Quinn’s statement in the issue of June ’26: ’There is a willingness to think the worst about Catholic Ireland.”
Sarah starts well by pointing out the exaggerations in the reporting of the Tuam story although she implies that the burial place was unconsecrated: highly unlikely as the only babies not baptised with water were stillborn. Sarah also seems to imply that the babies that died in the home were those of unmarried mothers, do the records confirm this?
Regarding Bessborough home in Cork, the death rate in the home was abnormal and on inspection it was found that there was evidence of a source of staphylococcus infection. The home was visually clean and the children appeared clean and cared for however when the medical officer examined the children he realised what was wrong. Subsequently the matron, a nun, was sacked.
In the letter there was a suggestion that this was a cover-up but would you have a matron display the pitiable state of her little patients? In those days the matron was quite a way down the chain of responsibility and up to recently nurses were carers not medical professionals. The medical officer knew the condition of the babies. Why was the matron treated as the primary culprit?
Conscious of the great contribution of the Irish Church in Irish society and worldwide I am hurt by the criticisms in the media. Yes our religious had their faults, failings and mistakes but the good they did far outweighed any harm. Then I recall Christ’s warning to his followers that they must expect ‘’persecution and calumny’’ (Mt 5 10-12) and see the prophecy being fulfilled around me.
Yours etc.,
John Walsh,
Clonmel,
Co. Tipperary.