Bethany Home survivors deserve an enquiry, too

227 children lost their lives at the protestant Bethany Home. It is now two more years since we erected our memorial, and we still wait on our Government to say that they wronged those who died and those who survived.

We still wait on the Mother and Baby Homes Commission to say that, yes, the State and Church of Ireland looked the other way, as the most vulnerable of Protestant children suffered.

We need them to apologise to our brothers and sisters, for all they endured. We have been waiting 23 years for our childhoods to be righted. That’s how long our campaign has gone on, and all we’ve been given is a memorial, which we appreciate, but which isn’t enough for what we suffered.

Others began campaigning, too, at the same time as us, but they had more success. We only had a number of false starts. We weren’t included in the industrial school examination, nor in the Magdalene laundries enquiry.

A lot of governments have come and gone, as have our dear Bethany Home survivors. Our fear is that, unless the commission reports soon, too many will be dead.

There have been many enquiries for the Catholic survivors. So far, we have just got a memorial to our dead children.

We need redress and an apology. Our remaining survivors deserve more than a memorial.

Derek Linster

Southey Rd

Rugby

Warwickshire

CV 22 6 Hf