Key facts
- Liam Neeson produced "The Lost Children of Tuam," a film about the Tuam mother and baby home scandal.
- Local historian Catherine Corless campaigned to expose abuse and neglect by Irish nuns.
- Hundreds of children were buried in a mass, unmarked grave at the Tuam institution.
- The film is based on a New York Times article by Dan Barry.
- Excavations at the site have uncovered skeletal remains of 99 babies and children.
- The Bon Secours order is believed to have interred 796 infants at the home between 1925 and 1961.
Liam Neeson has produced "The Lost Children of Tuam," a feature film shedding light on the scandal of hundreds of infants buried in unmarked graves at a former mother and baby home in Tuam, County Galway. The film, released in Ireland this week, is based on a 2017 New York Times article that chronicled the persistent efforts of local historian Catherine Corless to uncover the truth about abuse and neglect by the Bon Secours order.
Neeson, who is of Irish descent and was raised Catholic, described his reaction to the article as one of shock, shame, and a sense of obligation to bring the story to light. He optioned the article and worked to bring the narrative to the screen.
The film's release coincides with ongoing excavations at the 5,000-square-meter site, where forensic archaeologists have so far found skeletal remains of 99 babies and children. These efforts are part of a broader reckoning in Ireland concerning the mistreatment of women and children in state- and religious-run institutions. Corless's research, a judicial commission, and the Irish state's commitment to seeking truth and justice have driven the excavation.
Corless, a former textile factory secretary, began her research for an essay, facing resistance from officials and the Bon Secours order. She discovered that 796 children had died at the institution between 1925 and 1961 before it was closed and demolished. Neeson praised Corless's "doggedness" and "detective work" in uncovering the atrocity. Early reviews of the film have highlighted its sensitivity and the powerful central performance by Monica Dolan, who plays Corless.