The Sean Ross Commemorative Committee are hopeful for progress on scans of the plot in Roscrea by October or November.
The aim is to have scans done of the angel plot and adjacent ground to see how many may be buried there and the local group has gathered quotes, a letter from the land owner and maps of the area as requested by the Department.
Teresa Collins from the Commemorative Committee says you could see the compassion on the Minister’s face and that they are hopeful of movement after the summer break as they have taken on responsibility and done what was required.
” You could see the tears in his eyes but not just his eyes in everyone’s eyes… even though we were talking to him on zoom meetings and Joe on the zoom meetings you have to be in it to know it, it becomes a heartache… you might be having a talk walking down but the minute you get down there it really hits home what people suffered.”
She also says the lack of acknowledgment by religious orders around Sean Ross Abbey is a ‘mark on them’.
Teresa told Tipp Today that she doesn’t feel any guilt but they have to live with what happened and their lack of acceptance.
Teresa said the meeting was positive and it was important that it was private to allow people to freely come forward:
“A lady who was 77 years ago never set foot in it until now with her son and the son was there for four years with herself. That lady it was fantastic to see and she was able to talk to Minister Gorman… but he got it first hand to talk to a person who gave birth there.”
