Carmel Cantwell
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carmelcantwell.bsky.social
Carmel Cantwell
@carmelcantwell.bsky.social
My brother died unnecessarily in the care of a mother & baby institution in Cork, Ireland... seeking truth and accountability. #MotherAndBabyHomes #Bessborough #Democracy https://bessborough.substack.com/
Pinned
At 18 my mother had a baby boy in a #MotherAndBabyHome He died & she was never given details. When she was 52 she went back to the convent looking for info. She was told he was buried on the grounds. She was refused to place a marker for him. At 77 she found out he was buried 1/6
November 20, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Last night #Testimony won the Best Feature Documentary at the Irish Film Festival 2025 in London. A recognition of the incredible advocacy of @jfmresearch.bsky.social Great respect for Mary, Angela, Gabrielle, Philomena, Madeleine, Mari & all the women & children who suffered this regime.
November 18, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Jane Libberton - Philomena Lee’s daughter, me, Gabrielle O’Gorman, Madeleine - my mum at the London Premiere of #Testimony. Please support & go to see in cinemas nationwide from the 21st Nov. #MagdaleneLaundries #MotherAndBabyHomes
November 17, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
Justice for Magdalenes Research (JFMR) welcomes the forthcoming release of Testimony in Irish and UK cinemas from 21st November. Further details, including screening times and dates are available at: jfmresearch.com/testimony/
November 11, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Article from 2022, our views are still the same, #BessboroBabies deserve their truth told, their justice. Babies could’ve been saved. #MotherAndBabyHomes

'This isn't justice': Relatives criticise fact Bessborough site won't be excavated like Tuam jrnl.ie/5855880
'This isn't justice': Relatives criticise fact Bessborough site won't be excavated like Tuam
The burial place of over 850 children who died in Bessborough mother and baby home, or shortly after being transferred to hospital from there, remains unknown.
jrnl.ie
November 7, 2025 at 11:08 PM
It’s way beyond time to look into the lives, deaths & burials of babies born in #Bessborough that died. We know that some are buried in unmarked graves outside of #Bessboro but for 859 there are no burial records at all. 761 died on the premises.
#MotherAndBabyHomes #Testimony
November 6, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
Nearly read to press publish…
A novel about two women. Two mothers. Two lives reshaped by the children they lost.
November 4, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
That’s DOCTOR Magdalene Survivor to you! Elizabeth Riordan Coppin awarded a doctorate from SETU www.setu.ie/news/olympic...
SETU | Olympic medallist and human rights advocate honoured by SETU
South East Technological University provides an innovative and dynamic learning environment, equipping students with the skills for success in a global…
www.setu.ie
October 31, 2025 at 12:13 PM
This month marks my brother William’s 65th birthday and Mari Steeds 1st Anniversary both in #Bessboro at the same time in 1960 & both very much missed 💐 We need somewhere to remember them that reflects the enormity of what they both went through #SaveBessboro #Grief
October 11, 2025 at 9:48 AM
October 4, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Human Rights, Human Rights, Human Rights.

Apply Human Rights into everything you do and you won’t go far wrong.
September 27, 2025 at 8:02 PM
I spoke today on Cork Community Radio about my mother, baby William & #Bessboro

Thanks to Fahmeda for her kindness & empathy.
#MotherAndBabyHomes www.mixcloud.com/corkradio/le...
Let's Integrate 27th September 2025
Listen to Let's Integrate 27th September 2025 by Cork City Community Radio
www.mixcloud.com
September 27, 2025 at 7:27 PM
I have a vision, a park land planted with mixed trees to complement the existing border of trees on the periphery of the grounds surrounding the former Mother & Baby ‘home’ at #Bessboro. A tree for each mother & child that died. 1/8
September 27, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
A reminder about the ethical protocols underpinning the work of the Magdalene Names Project & why we don’t publish lists of names.

If you’re seeking info about a deceased family member, or if you’re a survivor seeking evidence of your confinement, you’re welcome to contact us.
JFMR has updated our Magdalene Names Project webpage. The update includes important information on our ethical protocols, and why (save for a small number of exceptions) the Names Project does not name women (living or deceased) on our website or in publications. jfmresearch.com/home/magdale...
Magdalene Names Project
ABOUT THE MAGDALENE NAMES PROJECT The Magdalene Names Project (MNP) is a JFM Research initiative which was established in 2003 in the context of the exhumations at High Park Magdalene Laundry. The …
jfmresearch.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
Lest anyone think that the work on the headstones was an indication of a Road to Damascus moment…
I can confirm that despite the fact that I have been in correspondence with the order since 2019, along with the fact that they know I am seeking pertinent information, they have not contacted me. I shall reflect on their Press Release and provide comment in the coming days
September 21, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
1) We founded JFM in 2003 when we learned about anomalies at the High Park graves, exposed by Mary Raftery. 22 yrs later, the Srs of Our Lady of Charity (OLC) say they’ve rectified errors & omissions at their Glasnevin graves. A few initial observations:

goodshepherdsisters.ie/news-events/...?
Press Release – Good Shepherd Sisters
goodshepherdsisters.ie
September 21, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Bessboro, Sundays Well & planning. 100’s of children & women r missing & until a thorough investigation has been completed developments shouldn’t even be discussed.The priority is to get to the truth.Over100 acres at Bessboro has already been developed #MotherAndBabyHomes

www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Bessborough and Sunday’s Well housing developments
Brian O’Connell, RTÉ reporter
www.rte.ie
August 28, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
1/2 Hi niallsargent.bsky.social, I don't have access, but what I can read of your article is concerning. Adoption isn't about helping prospective adopters to 'grow their families'. The decline in adoptions is welcome as more children get to stay with their families.

thecurrency.news/articles/196...
Back from the brink: How Ireland's last standing international adoption agency nearly ran out of funds in 2024 - The Currency
Over 5,000 people have been adopted into Ireland since laws on intercountry adoption were first signed into law here in 1991.  While figures have dropped substantially in recent years from hundreds to...
thecurrency.news
August 22, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
ℹ️ If you're having difficulty filling out the expression of interest PDF for representation on the National Centre for Research & Remembrance panels/Special Advocate's Advisory Council, there's a Word version of the form on this page that's not flagged in the dept's email: www.gov.ie/en/departmen...
Survivor Representation on Key Engagement Structures
www.gov.ie
August 14, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
Clann Project statement re the Government’s recent call to survivors and affected people, encouraging them to apply for ‘representation opportunities’ on the National Centre for Research and Remembrance (NCRR) Steering Group and other panels clannproject.org/ncrr/
National Centre for Research and Remembrance
The Clann Project has repeatedly asked the State to ensure that survivors and affected people are represented on boards that govern matters directly affecting them. Therefore, Clann welcomes the Government's recent call to survivors and affected people, encouraging them to apply for 'representation opportunities' on the National Centre for Research and Remembrance (NCRR) Steering Group, the National Museum of Ireland's 'Lived Experience expert panels' for the NCRR, and the Special Advocate for Survivors Advisory Council.  If you are interested in applying to become a member of one or more of the above committees, you can find the Government's 'Expression of Interest Form' here. The application process will remain open until 19th September 2025. If you are unable to complete the form electronically and do not have access to a printer, we encourage you to contact the Department's 'Mother and Baby Institutions Action Plan Unit' at motherandbabyhomes@dcde.gov.ie and ask them to send you a printed copy. Clann also welcomes the Government's use of the term 'survivors and affected persons'. We advocate for the use of 'affected people' or 'survivors and affected people' in lieu of the term 'survivors' when referring to the overall cohort of people impacted by Ireland's system of forced family separation and institutionalisation, because we are concerned that use of the collective term ‘survivor’ runs the risk of: (i) reinforcing the false narrative that abuses were perpetrated in institutional settings only; (ii) excluding people who were not born in Mother and Baby or County institutions; (iii) excluding mothers who did not give birth in Mother and Baby or County institutions; and (iv) excluding people who do not identify as 'survivors'. Importantly, how a person identifies has no bearing on whether human rights violations occurred—institutionalisation and forced family separation are abusive regardless of a person's preferred terms. It is crucial to ensure that nobody is left behind and that everyone impacted by this system feels represented in matters directly affecting them. Finally, Clann is concerned that survivors and affected people are still not represented on other boards and committees, such as the steering group for the upcoming review of the Birth (Information and Tracing) Act, and the board of the Adoption Authority.
clannproject.org
August 7, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Reposted by Carmel Cantwell
JFM Research has made a submission to An Coimisiún Pleanála about the Proposed Property Developmentat the Site of the Former Magdalene Laundry at Sundays Well in Cork.

jfmresearch.com/wp-content/u...
July 31, 2025 at 7:18 PM