IRELAND
Irish Examiner
By Claire O’Sullivan
Irish Examiner Reporter
Nearly a quarter of the babies born to Irish mothers and exported to the US for adoption were born at the Sean Ross Abbey, Co Tipperary, the convent at the centre of the film Philomena.
Adoption rights groups have suggested that the high rates could be for “geographic reasons”, as it was so close to Shannon airport.
Department of Foreign Affairs records show that, of the 1,962 babies sent abroad for adoption between 1950 and 1974, 1,911 went to the US and approximately 438 of these children came from Sean Ross Abbey.
The highest rate of US adoptions was from St Patrick’s Guild in Dublin, from where 515 were sent, while Sean Ross’ figures for the same period stand at 438.
It is believed that American parents paid religious orders from €1,000 to €10,000 for their babies.
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