Irish Examiner view: Scene of shame at Tuam may give closure

Ceramic blossom flowers at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home mass grave site laid to remember those who were forgotten. Picture: Ray Ryan

The horrifying situation in Tuam, Co Galway, has been a national shame ever since it was confirmed over a decade ago that the remains of hundreds of children who had died in the local mother and baby home were thrown into a nearby septic tank.

Even now, that bald assertion of fact retains the power to shock. It is an unmatchable illustration of the level of hypocrisy in Irish society over many decades that this was allowed to happen, and the conduct of the Bons Secours nuns — who ran the home for Galway County Council — illustrates that hypocrisy perfectly.

When the order sold the land, the nuns exhumed their dead colleagues and reinterred them at another cemetery. However, they left the remains of the children who had been in their care where they were discarded.

We should be thankful to the likes of Catherine Corless, the indefatigable local historian who persisted in investigating this situation, and brought it to national and international attention. Journalists such as Alison O’Reilly have also done the State some service in their commitment to presenting truths which may have been uncomfortable for some, but which were necessary for all to hear.

This month, excavation is due to begin at the site in Tuam at long last. Alison spoke this week to the families of those who believe the remains of their relatives are buried at the site, and their testimony was deeply moving.

These are ordinary people, many of them elderly, who are hoping to find some answers after decades of being betrayed by both the church and State. One man Alison spoke to hopes to learn more about his aunt, who died in 1936; one woman in her 90s said she did not know if her son, born in 1949, is “in a hole in a pipe somewhere”.

The excavation project is expected to be a complex and challenging one, but it is to be hoped that it will provide some answers to people who have lived with grief and pain for many years. Those families deserve something approaching closure after all this time.

A vital but not final milestone

The Leaving Certificate examinations begin today, with thousands of students taking on English Paper 1 at 9.30am, as usual (the final exam is applied technology on June 16).

It goes without saying that students have been focused on this date for the last couple of years in particular, studying past exam papers, revising exhaustively, and readying themselves for the biggest test of their secondary school careers — it is a momentous occasion.

Still, it is also important to maintain perspective when it comes to the Leaving Cert. It’s an important milestone but need not be the final word in any student’s academic or professional progress.

Balancing those messages can be tricky, of course. Placing the appropriate level of significance on the exams must be countered by the acknowledgement that it is a staging post on the journey, rather than a destination unto itself. This balancing act can become more difficult when one encounters breezy humble bragging on social media by celebrities about their own exam travails.

Another traditional event at this time of year has nothing to do with the good weather which is expected — it’s often believed that the Leaving Cert is accompanied by a burst of sunshine which seems to taunt those in exam halls, though meteorologists would no doubt be unconvinced of the scientific provenance of that assertion.

The exams are usually accompanied by a debate on its general efficacy: Whether it is fit for purpose in the 21st century, whether more marks should be awarded for continuous assessment, and whether a series of tests at the end of one’s school days are a fair and accurate evaluation of one’s knowledge and ability.

All of these are valid questions, and it should be acknowledged that the Leaving Cert has changed significantly over the years. One persuasive argument in its favour is that it is a relatively level playing field for students of all backgrounds. This is particularly powerful when considering the widely- held belief that continuous assessment may favour more affluent students.

These are matters for another day, however. For today, best wishes to all facing the blank pages at half nine.

An athlete of grace 

The funeral takes place tomorrow morning of Ellen Cassidy, the woman who died after becoming ill at the finish line of the Cork City Marathon last Sunday.

Ellen, of Carhoo, Mallow Rd, was one of thousands of participants in the annual race, but she was also an accomplished swimmer. She represented Dolphin Swimming Club, University College Cork (UCC) Swimming Club, and the Munster Regional Squad. She also represented Ireland at the European Youth Olympics in 2015, and was joint chairperson of the UCC Swimming Club; she was involved in organising the Intervarsities Swimming Championship in Cork last year.

It was good to see generous tributes being paid to her by many swimming clubs and organisations in recent days.

“Ellen swam through life with grace, strength, and passion,” wrote Dolphin Swimming Club. “Your smile and your drive will never be forgotten.”

Our deepest sympathies go to the Cassidy family and to all of Ellen’s friends on her shocking loss. Requiem Mass will be at 11am tomorrow in The Church of the Annunciation, Blackpool. The family has asked that women wear their most colourful outfit for the funeral and bring a flower if they wish.

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