Thread by @ctcantwell

IT’S NOT ENOUGH:
About the recent decision by An Bord Planela to refuse planning of appartments on #Bessboro grounds. The below drawing shows that the majority of the grounds are owned by Estuary View Enterprises (EVE). We are awaiting the decision of 2 planning applications /1

by them, one called The Meadows & the other The Farm. There is also a 3rd phase but planning for that hasn’t been applied for yet. We don’t want this proposed Masterplan (below). /2

One of our friends remembers working with his mother in the farm when he was 5yrs old. For him a lovely memory of being with his mother who he never saw again once he was boarded out. Please restore & preserve the farm yard. /3
irishexaminer.com/news/munster/a…

E. V. E. have catered for a Remembrance Park in their plans but this is because you can’t build on that area in front of the historical Bessborough House due to the landscape being protected. /4

We do not believe that any child would have been buried opposite the front door of the Convent/Bessborough House, so calling this a Remembrance Park with the aim to appease families whilst building on suspected burial grounds is offensive & repugnant. /5

We are asking for the full extent of the remaining grounds at Bessboro to be saved from being developed.
In the absence of graves this is the least we can do. What we mustn’t do is dilute the truth to make others feel better. /6

There is no substitute for the truth no matter how hard it is to hear. We haven’t found a mass childrens burial ground. The evidence shows that there was once a childrens burial ground at the folly before the nuns started to use it. /7

The graveyard is tiny and LiDAR imaging has shown a large portion of the graveyard to be empty. How many children are buried there 5, 10, 50? ? How will we ever know with the nuns buried on top of them. /8

We are looking for 100’s of unaccounted children. 761 babies died on the premises. Where are they? Investigate and sensitively excavate where appropriate. /9

Over the years we have spoken to people who witnessed burials take place in areas away from the folly/graveyard. This is a mystery as to why children wouldn’t be buried in a designated graveyard for them. (Red arrows indicate places people witnessed burials)
/10

Our conclusion is that the congregation had no set rules where burial’s took place including taking some deceased children off site.
/11

In 1947 a 10 yr old boy was running across the front side of the grounds heading towards the farm, he was in line with the chapel. He came upon an open grave of 3 to 4 babies, he was in shock and he was promptly chased off the grounds. /12

In his 80’s this gentleman wanted to impart this info & contacted Catherine Corless who contacted journalist @Donal_OKeeffe & myself.He was a very credible witness & I believed him. /13

In 1954 a 6 year old child came across 2 nuns burying a baby. She remembers the experience very well as she got beaten badly for being in the wrong place. She has indicated the spot to us & it wasn’t in the graveyard. She is a member of the Bessboro M&BH support group. /14

We know of another baby buried against a wall near the farmyard in the 70’s. /15

I’m telling you all this to show that babies were randomly buried throughout the grounds and not in one particular area. We need to honour all those that died who weren’t afforded the dignity of a marked grave with their mothers present. We need to show now how much we care. /16

We need to honour them with love & respect. We need to preserve all the grounds of Bessboro, and if we can’t find graves to create a memorial park, with all the names of those that died displayed. /17

A place the whole community can enjoy and reflect and never ever forget what happened. 18/18

#859Missing #SaveBessborough #BessboroBabies