Well known Tuam historian Catherine Corless, who was instrumental in discovering the death and burial of hundreds of children at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home, has been honoured with the Irish Red Cross Lifetime Achievement Award.
She joins a prestigious list of former winners, including the late Pat Hume, WHO executive director Dr Mike Ryan, and former Mountjoy Prison governor John Lonergan.
Catherine Corless is synonymous with the Tuam Mother and Baby Home. She became a national and international figure for her research work on the institution, which led to the discovery of the death and burial of hundreds of children, and her ongoing advocacy for its survivors and relatives.
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Catherine Corless and Irish Red Cross Secretary General Catrina Sheridan. Photo:- Andrew Downes, Xposure.
Corless, who grew up beside the institution and went to school with some of the children who lived there, became interested in its history after studying local history at NUI Maynooth. And it was in the Old Tuam Society journal that she first published her initial shocking revelations about the death and burial of hundreds of children on the site. It received little interest at the time, but it encouraged Corless to intensify her research and advocacy work which eventually resulted in the establishment of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes.
Secretary general of the Irish Red Cross, Catrina Sheridan, says the inspiring work by Catherine Corless and her continued dedication to seeing these children receive the respectful burial they deserve is a vitally important and ongoing contribution to Irish society.
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"It serves as a powerful example to all of us. The International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement strives to provide assistance to those most in need, without discrimination, to those at risk, and her unwavering efforts align with our core value of alleviating suffering wherever it may be found.”
The prestigious annual Irish Red Cross Humanitarian honour nominated finalists across six categories. The awards recognise those who have had a humanitarian impact on the lives of others through volunteering, storytelling, skill sharing or fundraising and highlight the efforts of those who have given a voice to humanitarian issues. The work of the Irish Red Cross in Ireland, which was established in 1939, helps the most vulnerable people in Irish society.
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The shortlist of finalists for the 2021 awards, which have just been announced ahead of the live award ceremony on November 28, is Humanitarian of the Year: Ken Gibson, Tammy Darcy, Rory Halpin; Young Humanitarian: Saoi O’Connor, Harry Nolan, Joshua Deegan; Special mention: Zoey Coffey; Innovation for Change Award: Teen-Turn, The Shona Project, Sing Out With strings; Digital Influence: Digital Charity Lab, The Shona Project, Fionnula Jones; Journalism Excellence: Felipe Lopes, Noteworthy.ie - Maria Delaney and Michelle Hennessy, Donal O’Keeffe, Special mention: Katie Hannon; Corporate Impact Award: Hotel Doolin – Green Team Programme.
Pat Carey, Irish Red Cross chairperson, says it is important to honour and recognise the crucial work that is being done by humanitarians and their ongoing contribution to Irish society.
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With almost 3,000 volunteers and 78 branches across all 26 counties in the Republic, the Irish Red Cross provides a wide range of services including first aid (delivery and training ), youth services, community support, emergency relief (floods and extreme weather ), migration, lake and mountain rescue; and prison programmes. The Irish Red Cross collaborates with overseas Red Cross national societies, assisting in the provision of humanitarian relief in conflict and disaster situations.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Irish Red Cross has delivered almost 15,000 food deliveries to isolated and vulnerable households and individuals, and the Irish Red Cross ambulance units have made approximately 1,000 patient transfers since March 2020 for patients requiring chemotherapy or dialysis appointments, as well as older people in need of GP or dental appointments.
