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Abandoned Babies in Ireland: Siblings Reunited After Decades
Dublin, Ireland – July 3, 2025 – A New documentary, “The Phone Box Babies,” airing on RTÉ One, has captured the hearts of viewers with its poignant tale of three siblings who were abandoned as infants in Ireland during the 1960s. Their remarkable journey to find each other decades later is a testament to the enduring bonds of family.
A Grim Reflection of Ireland’s Past
The documentary paints a stark picture of Ireland during a period when societal norms heavily penalized women for having children out of wedlock. Marcella byrnes, the mother of the three siblings, had a long-term relationship with a married man, William Watson, and made the challenging decision to leave her newborns in various locations, including phone boxes and a car.
helen Ward, discovered in a phone box in Drogheda, Co Louth, recalls her birth certificate stating, “Baby exposed on Ladywell Terrace, march, 1968. Father unknown,mother unknown.” This discovery fueled her desire to uncover her origins.
The Search for Identity and Connection
Driven by a need to understand her past, Helen Ward appeared on Joe Duffy’s Liveline, a radio program that helped connect her with the truck driver who found her as a baby. Meanwhile,in Belfast,David Mcbride learned he was found in a car in Newry,Co Down,while searching for his birth certificate. His quest led him to Davina Mccall’s Long Lost Families, where a DNA test revealed his connection to Helen.
Their initial meeting in Carlingford, co Louth, was filled with shock and disbelief. “All I knew was that people from the south of Ireland didn’t like us because we were from the north. It was like the bottom had fallen out of your world,” David saeid.
Did You Know? phone boxes, once a common sight, are becoming increasingly rare as mobile phone usage rises. Many are being repurposed as mini-libraries or public art installations.
An Unexpected Twist and a Family Reunited
The story took another turn when the daughter of John Dowling, residing in Australia, recognized the striking resemblance between her father and Helen and David while watching Long Lost Families. The three siblings eventually met, forging an instant connection, but their joy was tempered by the realization that both of their parents had passed away.
William Watson, their father, was a bandleader who traveled frequently. Marcella Byrnes, worked in Dublin where future snooker champion Ken Doherty remembered her as a lively personality. In her later years, Marcella carried a doll, believed to symbolize her longing for her children.
A Fourth Sibling?
The documentary concludes with a possibility of a fourth child, possibly unaware of their origins, adding another layer of intrigue to this already compelling family saga.
A difficult Choice: Abandonment Versus Institutional Care
David Mcbride believes that his mother’s decision to abandon them may have been the best possible outcome given the circumstances. He notes that had they been placed in the care of the church, they could have faced illegal adoption or worse treatment in Magdalene Laundries, institutions known for their harsh conditions. Magdalene Laundries, were institutions in Ireland that operated from the 18th to the late 20th centuries, ostensibly to house “fallen women.”
“I think she made the right choice,” he says. “If she had gone into one of these Magdalene Laundries,life would have been so much different for her,so much different for us. We would have been treated appallingly.”
Comparing Abandonment Scenarios
| Scenario | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Abandonment | Siblings eventually found each other and lived free lives. |
| Institutional care (Church-Run) | Risk of illegal adoption, harsh treatment, and loss of identity. |
The lasting impact of Abandonment
The story of “The Phone Box Babies” highlights the long-term effects of abandonment on individuals and the importance of understanding the historical context in which these events occurred.
