A birth mother who found out her son had passed away after spending more than a decade searching for him says she wants a new inquest into his death.
Antiques dealer Filumena Quinn was just 18 years old when she gave birth to her son Ian on September 13, 1972 at the notorious Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork.
An adoptive family was found for baby Ian and Filumena said she came under strong pressure from the nuns and agreed to sign adoption papers and never saw her son again.
However, she later traced him through social workers, only to discover he had been found dead on Salthill beach in Galway in 1994 when he was 21.
She received his inquest papers which show his cause of death was “indeterminate” and the date of his passing “cannot be precisely stated, but was after 26 April 1994”.
Filumena told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “I want my son’s truth. I don’t believe his death was properly investigated.
“He was on the dole and appeared to have no fixed abode, was he homeless, does that mean he is less worthy of a more probing investigation?
“His sister in his adoptive family said in her statement to the coroner’s court he was worried when she met him two months before his body was found and she never saw him again.
“I am concerned this was a suspicious death.
“Why was he found washed up on the beach, did something suspicious happen to him after he met his sister who was worried for him?
“I am concerned he met a terrible end and I want his death investigated again.”
The coroner’s investigation report on June 21, 1994 and seen by the Irish Sunday Mirror shows that the body was identified by a local sergeant.
The report stated: “Remains was washed up on the beach at Salthill this morning, Tuesday 21st June 1994. Reported missing since 28th April 1994. Deceased collected his dole on 26th April 1994.
The young man’s remains were badly decomposed and he had his dole card in his pocket as well as tickets relating to local functions dating from March 1994.
The Garda stated: “The body was found washing up on the beach at Salthill... wearing black jeans and black ‘doc martin’ boots.
“In the right-hand pocket was an Employment Assistance Card and in the name of Kevin Patrick Forde.” His adoptive father later identified Kevin as his son.
The statement continued: “The deceased had been reported missing to the gardai on 19th May 1994.
“Later on the same date, 21st of June 1994, I identified the body of the late Kevin Patrick Forde to Dr Gabriel Mortimer, Pathologist.
“I have carried out investigations as to how the deceased entered the water. I have been unable to ascertain how he died.
“The last sighting of the deceased was at 11pm approximately on the night of 28th April 1994, the last date he was in receipt of unemployment assistance was the 26th April 1994”.
In her statement to the coroner’s court Ian’s sister said her “late brother Kevin Forde had been living away from home for the past two years”.
She added: “He used to reside at different addresses in Galway. I used to meet him quite often.
“That last time I spoke with him was on the Thursday night, the 28th of April, 1994. I met him at Sally Long’s Pub. I was talking to him for a good while. He appeared in good form. He left at 10.30pm approximately.
“He returned 10 minutes later and appeared to be very upset and worried. He gave me his Walkman and all his tapes.
“I found this very strange as he would let nobody near his Walkman. He also declined to take the £3 I owed him.
“He left saying that he would collect the Walkman from me later.
“He never returned. I missed him around the city. I became worried. I reported my brother missing to the gardai at Mill Street on the 19th May 1994.”
Filumena revealed she had given birth to him in “horrific” circumstances before he was immediately taken to St Finbar’s hospital in Cork because he was a month premature.
She had been bleeding heavily and in pain and had to beg the nuns for help before Ian was delivered.
The young woman was eventually reunited with her son in Bessborough but he was later adopted and she felt “powerless”.
She said: “I had no idea what was going on.
“I just remember a nun picking him up and saying ‘why would anyone want such a small baby?’
“And then he was gone. I wrote home and asked my mother could I keep him, I just kept asking but was told no.
“After I went home, I suffered a breakdown. My family never spoke about the child again and that was it, he was gone forever.”
Filumena, originally from Galway but living in Co Mayo, went on to marry at 30 but has since divorced.
She has two other children Saoirse, 37, and 35-year-old Rossa, 35, who were told about their older brother.
As time went on she searched for her son through social workers but found out his adoptive name was Kevin and he died tragically.
Filumena said she has met with people who knew Kevin and has read his reports “thoroughly” and she has written to gardai to relay her concerns.
She said: “I have told the gardai I am concerned that my son died suspiciously and that I want the case reopened.”
An Garda Siochana confirmed the body was discovered on June 21, 1994, next of kin notified and the remains were taken to University College Hospital Galway for a post mortem.
The spokesman added: “Gardai have recently received correspondence from next of kin, not as detailed above. An Garda Siochana does not comment on correspondence with private individuals.”
