Children’s shoes placed at altar of Co Cork church
A Mass congregation broke out in applause yesterday as victims and survivors of clerical and industrial abuse were formally commemorated in Cork.
The ceremony at St Mary’s Parish Church in Youghal, Co Cork, took place after members of the Standing4Women movement tied the children’s shoes to the church railings early last week in empathy with victims and survivors.
In response, Canon David Herlihy, the parish priest, had proposed the commemoration ceremony prior to noon Mass yesterday.
At the priest’s invitation and accompanied by soft music, members of the congregation removed the shoes from the railings and placed them before the altar.
Fr Herlihy observed that children’s shoes normally conjure thoughts of love, caring, and nurturing but it had been “quite shocking” to see them depict “quite the opposite” when attached with black ribbons to church property.
He said the past could not be undone but the Church can acknowledge what has happened and seek forgiveness “for the harm that has been done and for the pain that has been inflicted”.
Apologising, Fr Herlihy wished for “healing and comfort for every single person who is in pain and distress”.
Standing4Women representative Kirsty Murphy thanked Fr Herlihy for his empathy and said Youghal had responded uniquely to what was a national and international initiative.
Ms Murphy called on the Church, State, and wider community to seek recognition for their suffering and rights of survivors and victims, “just like we would if they were our own”.
She called for “the proper dignified burial” of all babies whose remains had been discarded in mother-and-baby homes. She asked for proper support and services, and the release of records.
Ms Murphy read a poignant poem by Deirdre O’Keefe on the forced separation of a baby from its mother before concluding to rapturous applause.
Barbara Buckley, who was taken from her mother in Tuam in 1957, expressed delight with the commemoration, “especially the apology” from the canon.
