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Catherine Corless
Historian and activist · Ireland · On the map · Writers · Born 1954 · age 72
Catherine Corless is an Irish historian, known for her work in compiling the information concerning the deaths of children at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Galway.
Catherine Corless is read about 26 times a day, in 9 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 3 July 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 60 days, one point a day.
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About this person
After gaining an interest in local history from attending an evening course, Corless decided to write an article about the mother and baby home inspired by her own childhood memories of the institution. She spent her spare time searching records in libraries, churches and council offices, and uncovered that 796 children died in the home. She found death certificates but identified that there were no burial records. The bodies were eventually found to have been disposed of in a disused septic tank on the property. She has received a number of awards in recognition of her work, including a People of the Year Award in 2018. Following the 2020 government report on deaths and abuses at Mother and Baby homes, the Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin called Corless a "tireless crusader of dignity and truth".
