Tag Archives: Martin Sixsmith

sarto

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From last night’s BBC2 documentary ‘Ireland’s Lost Babies’, Sacred Heart nun, Sister Sarto Harney, [Mother Superior of Bessborough Mother and Child Home] made a reappearance.

Cathy Deasy, who was adopted, had been trying to trace her mother for years and wrote many times to Sister Sarto. Sister Sarto suggested that her mother was dead.

But Cathy discovered her mother was alive and had spent 35 years in an institution after giving birth to her in a mother and baby home.

She confronted Sister Sarto in 2002 and captured the moment on video.

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From 1996, in an RTÉ Prime Time documentary Sister Sarto said:

“I think it is the right of every individual to know their background and we help in any way we can to put people in contact with their parent of origin.”

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Earlier this year on TV3, Sister Sarto said in relation to Bessborough Mother and Baby Home that no babies were adopted or vaccinated without the mothers’ permission:

“I think it’s sad that it’s come to this. We gave our lives to looking after the girls and we’re certainly not appreciated for doing it.”

Ireland’s Lost Babies is on RTÉ One tonight at 10:15pm.

Previously: Staying In Tonight?

After Philomena

The Art Of Storytelling

Anything Good On BBC News At Ten?

Cross Her Sacred Heart

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Tonight on BBC2, Martin Sixsmith (author of Philomena) goes on a journey to investigate the Irish Catholic Church’s role in an adoption trade which saw thousands of ‘illegitimate’ children taken from their mothers and sent abroad, often with donations to the Church flowing in the other direction.

In Ireland and in America, Martin hears the moving stories of the parents and children whose lives were changed forever and discovers evidence that prospective parents were not properly vetted – sometimes with tragic consequences.

He also witnesses the struggle of mother and child in their attempts to find each other across continents before it is too late. With no one willing to help and information scarce, for some it feels like after all these years the Catholic Church is still trying to keep them apart.

On BBC Two tonight at 9pm and RTÉ One tomorrow at 10:15pm.

Ireland’s Lost Babies (BBC)

Previously: After Philomena

The Art Of Storytelling


Anything Good On BBC News At Ten?

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Martin Sixsmith with Philomena Lee in Dublin last year

“A new TV series looking at Irish mothers who were forced to give up their babies for adoption is to be broadcast on BBC 2. ‘Ireland’s Lost Babies’ will be presented and led by Martin Sixsmith, the British journalist who brought the story of Philomena Lee to national attention. The series will investigate the role of Irish Catholic Churches in the adoption trade and will begin from next Wednesday (September 17) at 9pm.

New BBC series to look at Irish mothers forced to give up their babies (Katy Harrington, Irish Post)

Meanwhile:

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Hardcore.

Turlough O’Riordan writes:

“I came across an interesting first hand experience of the Chief Medical Officer visiting the Bessborough home for unmarried mothers in Cork during the Second World War. Truly barbaric I think you will sadly agree.”