Irish artists call for national day of mourning in memory of children who died in mother and baby homes

Damien Dempsey is among a group of artists calling for a national day of mourning. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

A group of Irish artists, including singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey, is calling for a national day of mourning to be established in memory of all of the children who died in religious and State-run institutions.

The call comes as the country's first ever mass exhumation is continuing in Tuam, where forensic experts are searching for the remains of 796 children who died in the former mother and baby home and were buried in a large, underground septic tank.

Now, artists including Damien Dempsey, Dee Mulrooney, Laura Murphy, Aine Tyrell, Kathy Scott, the creative director of The Trailblazery and Sean Mulrooney have called for these children — and all the others who died in other homes — to be remembered through a national day of mourning.

Dee Mulrooney, a multidisciplinary artist whose alter-ego is the performance piece Growler, told the Irish Examiner Ireland needs to “remember these children officially and reclaim their existence”.

“When I saw what the First Nations did in Canada for their children who died in similar circumstances, something locked into position in my heart, these are our children, and they need a national day of remembrance” she said.

Dee Mulrooney: The children should be acknowledged and that means we need to bring it out in the open and have a collective response. Even if it only happens once. Picture: Neil Hoare

“Their ceremonies were so powerful. I was heartened by what they did, they knew what to do.

“As Irish people, we know what to do, the children should be acknowledged and that means we need to bring it out in the open and have a collective response. Even if it only happens once.

This is all our story, but the response needs to be a collective one — many Irish artists want this to happen. It is the least we can do for these children.

Ms Mulrooney has suggested the remembrance day take place on the feast of Mary Magdalene which is celebrated annually on July 22.

 “Mary was the scorned worker," the artist said. "There is a potency around her. We then went on to call the laundries that locked up  women Magdalenes.

Annette McKay, whose sister died in the Tuam home, said she would welcome such a day of remembrance. Picture: Ray Ryan

“Mary Magdalene was lied about by the church to keep her suppressed, but now she has been reinstated. I believe the children can be recognised on that day too, as they were hidden from the world”.

Annette McKay, whose sister died in the Tuam home, said she would welcome such a day of remembrance.

“It is a very meaningful idea because Tuam is the tip of the iceberg, but we can’t say that the burial sites will ever be exhumed,” she said.

“We can’t have a day for Tuam and not include the others. Art has a very important role in healing, and many artists have supported our campaign, for which we are very grateful.”