Baby found in skip to be buried

THE baby whose body was found in a refuse skip in west Limerick earlier this month will be laid to rest today after a special church ceremony.

Mass of the Angels will be offered at Newcastle West parish church for the baby whose mother has not come forward, despite repeated appeals.

A post mortem found the baby, a full-term boy, was stillborn. His body was discovered at a waste segregation plant in Broadford on the morning of August 8.

The grim discovery was made by a worker at White’s skip hire facility.

The baby’s body had fallen out of plastic wrapping.

Initially, it was not known where the skip had been collected from as it was among a number that had been brought from different sites in west Limerick and north Cork the previous day. Gardaí are satisfied, however, the baby’s body was placed in a skip which had been located in Rathkeale, Co Limerick, for about a week prior to collection.

The coroner, Brendan Nix, delayed releasing the body for burial in the hope the mother might come forward, enabling her to attend the funeral.

Superintendent Tom Gavin, Newcastle West, yesterday said they had received no contact.

The remains will be brought from the Mid-Western Regional Hospital this morning to Newcastle West parish church where Mass of the Angels will be celebrated. The burial will take place afterwards at Calvary cemetery in Churchtown, Newcastle West.