A WEST Cork Councillor has spoken publicly for the first time about being born at Bessborough mother and baby home.

Kinsale-based Fine Gael Cllr Marie O’Sullivan was speaking at this week’s meeting of Cork County Council following a joint motion raised by two other councillors who were also born in Bessborough

Cllr Dominic Finn (FF) and County Mayor Cllr Mary Linehan Foley asked that a memorial be provided as part of any proposed development to remember the hundreds of babies and children who lie in unmarked graves there.

Cllr O’Sullivan told the chamber that she too was a Bessborough baby and thanked both councillors for bringing forward the motion.

She said she had been fortunate with the family who adopted her.

Cobh-based Cllr Finn pointed out that Bessborough is not just another development site but that it’s a place of historical significance for many families and a place of profound loss.

He called on Cork City Council to give due consideration to this as part of any proposed development.

‘For decades, the voices of those affected were unheard. The stories of those children remained largely hidden from public view.

There has been growing recognition in recent years to acknowledge and address this painful chapter in our history,’ said Cllr Finn.

He said it is important that those who died are not forgotten and that their lives, however short, are recognised with dignity and that future generations will know what happened there.

‘This is a reasonable request and I consider myself one of the lucky ones but some were not so lucky.’

Cllr Linehan Foley – who has previously spoken about being born in the mother and baby home – said the very least they can do is to ask for some type of memorial for those not as lucky as them.

‘We are highlighting how lucky we were and how lucky we were given a good life,’ she said.

‘We don’t know how many babies there are in these unmarked graves and it’s the least we can do to ask for some type of memorial and recognition. As you can understand it’s a difficult one and can be emotional at time.

Councillors were unanimous in supporting the motion with Cllr Gearóid Murphy (FF) commending both councillors for their bravery in bringing forward this motion in such a public setting. He said it is only fitting that a memorial be built to remember all those children who died at the mother and baby home.

‘All that can be done now is to remember those who had died,’ he said.

Cllr Patrick O’Donovan (FF) said it’s so important not to close this chapter on Cork and praised both councillors for using their position to highlight the situation.

Cllr Ann Bambury (SD) said it is only fitting that a place of reflection be built to acknowledge the atrocities there and said it can never again happen in this country, while Cllr John Michael Foley (FG) commended them both for bringing the motion to the chamber.

Cllr Kate Lynch (FG) said she had a friend who was lucky to escape from the mother and baby home with her baby.

Cllr Trish Murphy (FG) said the joint motion had touched the whole room, while her colleague Cllr Jack White said it was one of the ‘most authentic and compelling contributions’ ever made in the chamber and that at the very least a memorial should be made.

Councillors agreed to write to their counterparts in Cork City Council to ask that consideration be given for a memorial site as part of any proposed development on the Bessborough site.