MEP’s support for Sean Ross campaign

Sinn Féin MEP for Ireland South, Kathleen Funchion, has voiced her support for a full exhumation and investigation at Sean Ross Abbey.

A number of survivors of the former Sean Ross Abbey Mother and Baby Home in Roscrea took part in a sleep-out protest at the Angels’ Plot on the site last Friday, October 10, from 12 noon.

The former residents of the home took the action to highlight the 1,090 babies who died in Sean Ross Abbey, many still unaccounted for, and the 23 young girls who also died there while it operated between 1930 and 1969.

The survivors say the Government is refusing to act on their call to excavate the site, even though Sean Ross Abbey is larger than the former mother and baby home in Tuam and has more children buried on the site.

During a visit to Tipperary, MEP Funchion said: “I visited Sean Ross Abbey to stand with survivors and families in their call for truth and justice.

“Over 1,090 babies and 23 women lost their lives here during its years as a Mother and Baby Home. Many of those children are buried in what is known as the ‘Angels’ Plot’, but serious questions remain about where the others rest.

“I support the calls to uncover the full truth of what happened and to ensure a full exhumation and investigation takes place.

“The Government cannot continue to hide behind reports or technicalities while survivors age and continue to carry this burden.

“The survivors deserve answers and accountability.”