Unmarked children's graves found
- Published
40 infants from the home were found buried in Mount Jerome cemetery
The unmarked graves of 40 children from a Protestant residential institution have been found in a Dublin cemetery.
The remains belong to boys and girls who were born at Bethany Home in Rathgar in the city.
The home provided accommodation for unmarried Protestant women and their children.
Recently discovered records showed that infant residents were buried in and around common graves in Mount Jerome Cemetery between 1935 and 1936.
On average, two died each month out of 19 babies living in the home.
Researcher Niall Meehan, who made the discovery, has established the names of all 40 babies.
Derek Leinster, who now lives in England, spent his first four years in Bethany.
He will convene the home's first survivors' group meeting there next Wednesday.
The 69-year-old said he and other residents were grossly neglected and still suffer poor health as a result.
Mr Leinster also said the State regulated Bethany and should apply its redress or compensation scheme to its survivors.
A spokesman for the Church of Ireland said he agreed and described the deaths as "tragic".
The home was run by independent trustees drawn from the Protestant community.