Notre Dame defends talk on Tuam ‘holocaust hoax’

The University of Notre Dame in the US has defended its decision to host a talk by Irish journalist John Waters on the Tuam Mother and Baby Home.

The writer faced a backlash this week after it emerged his contribution to a panel discussion makes reference to the ‘hoax of the holocaust of Tuam’.

Mr. Water argues that there is no hard evidence that up to 800 babies and young children are buried at the site of the former home.

‘A shameful and insensitive rewriting of history that is exceptionally hurtful to survivors of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home,” is how Galway East TD and Junior Minister Ciaran Cannon described the talk delivered by Mr Waters.

The Irish journalist’s panel contribution at the Indiana University was entitled “Cyberspace, Failing Media, and the Hoax of the ‘Holocaust of Tuam'”

The University has issued a statement defending its right to host Mr. Waters speech.

Its Centre of Ethics and Culture described him as an ‘exceptionally thoughtful’ speaker who is ‘intellectually honest and humane’.

However, a spokesperson at last evening’s event added that the university recognises and shares the great pain that many endured at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home.

They further stressed that as with all speakers, the topic and title of Mr. Water’s speech were provided by him.