The Fitzgerald Bible Bruff Award, considered to be one of the premier accolades bestowed in the region, will this year go to Catherine Corless, whose outstanding work on the Tuam Baby Scandal brought her national acclaim, writes John Barrett.
This quiet, unassuming woman took on the establishment and won. Shocked by the negligent disregard over the years of the bodies of the children in the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home, Catherine Corless has been successful in highlighting the plight of these previously forgotten infants.
An amateur historian, Corless, through her research, uncovered one of the scandals of the past.
Refusing to take no for an answer, she worked tirelessly for the children who had been forgotten, offering an example of what can be achieved when humanity is the driving force.
The Fitzgerald Bible Bruff Award, which has previously been won by luminaries like Micheál ÓMuirch-eartaigh, Vicky Phelan and Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy, symbolises the gratitude and respect felt by the people of the locality towards an individual who has succeeded in making a beneficial contribution to society. Awarded by Bruff Heritage Group, based in the Fitzgerald Heritage Centre, this year’s accolade will be presented to Catherine Corless on Wednesday 14th September at 7pm at a function attended by the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Francis Foley, other elected representatives and invited guests.
The citation for this year’s award reads:
“For the values of humanity Catherine Corless exemplifies and for the difference she has made to the world.”