Order that ran Bessborough says it ‘tried to respond to need’

The graveyard at the former Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork. The graveyard was used by the Sacred Heart Nuns, who bought the House in 1922, to bury their sisters. It also houses the 'Little Angels' memorial plot to remember 'babies who died before or shortly after birth'. File picture: Laura Hutton/RollingNews.ie

The religious congregation that ran the Bessborough mother and baby home where more than 900 babies died has said it “did not contribute to the toxic agenda in Ireland at the time, but tried to respond to need”, new records have revealed.

The Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary oversaw the running of the Cork home from 1922 to 1998 and admitted nearly 10,000 woman and 8,900 children during its operation.

The religious run institution was known for its high mortality rates — with 923 children dying in appalling conditions during that time.

Only 64 children have been identified as having burial records and the commission of inquiry into mother and baby homes, said the children are most likely buried on the land, which is now earmarked for a 140 development of apartments.

In Freedom of Information records released to the Irish Examiner, the congregation defended the care they gave woman and children saying:

• They are troubled that the burial plots for the children cannot be found;
• The order is sorry about the level of deaths, particularly in Cork, which could have been reduced;
• The nuns hired a professional to try and find the babies graves but were unsuccessful;
• They were delighted when things began to change and women could keep their babies;
• They were never found guilty of wrongdoing and if the congregation are given facts in relation to emotional abuse, then they will respond to these individuals;
• The nuns did not contribute to the country’s toxic approach to unmarried mothers;
• They bought the homes themselves and provided €25m in unpaid work there.

In the minutes of a meeting dated December 15, 2021, with the former minister Roderic O’Gorman, the sisters defended their work at three institutions here, Bessborough in Cork, Sean Ross Abbey in Tipperary, and Castlepollard in Westmeath.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a proposed contribution to the mother and baby institutions payment scheme for survivors.

The congregation is one of five orders who refused to make any “voluntary” contribution.

During the meeting, a representative for the order acknowledged the deaths there and said: “The congregation wish that the level of deaths, particularly in Cork could have been reduced.

“They note that infections took hold in these institutions and there was no support from the authorities.”

The spokesperson added the order “is troubled that burial plots could not be established and that they could not assist with this”. 

Not possible to identify burial plots

They also said: “The congregation engaged professionals to assist in the possible identification of burial plots but regrettably it was not possible to establish where they are.”

The spokesperson denied any wrongdoing by the nuns in FOI records when they met with the minister and said, “her congregation were not found guilty of any neglect or abuse”.

They also said they were not denying the experience of survivors and agreed that the report is not easy reading. 

The nuns said: “No amount of money makes up for what these women experienced.”

However, they have found it “difficult” that so much of the information is “driven by public opinion and the media”.

The spokesperson told the minister that the process of the commission of inquiry came “so late as the sisters were not around to speak for themselves”. 

They said the congregation “were invited to Ireland to open and run the mother and baby homes in the three locations”.

Congregation responded to Ireland’s need

“They responded to that call and provided the only option available to these women at the time” the record said. “In effect, the congregation responded to Ireland’s need.” 

They said they “purchased premises primarily from their own funds and this is an important point in the context of a request for a contribution”, the spokesperson said. 

“The main care and support that these people needed was from their own families.

“The congregation did their best to look after them, but they have apologised to the women for the hurt that they endured.”

The spokesperson reiterated that, “the commentary outside the commission’s report is untested and the congregation has had no opportunity to respond”.