Original subtitles

This programme contains some strong language

and scenes which some viewers may find upsetting from the start

The convent was selling our children. Private donation £10,887.

They sold her. Who's this?

That's one of the men Father Percy introduced us to.

The Wisconsin Holy Cross Adoption Agency,

formerly the House of the Sacred Shepherd,

founded by Jim McCullen.

That's James Coyle.

I think you know exactly where Aoife Cassidy is

and you'll tell us right now.

The last time I saw her, she was walking away with my baby.

She was a nun in the convent and she was trying to help me.

I killed her! I killed her!

I remember Aoife Cassidy.

She died and she rose again.

There was a body. Then where is she? Where's Aoife?

KNOCKING

CROWS CAW

BANGING

I'm not awful sure what I'm supposed to say.

You could ask what it is I'm doing here after 30 years.

What is it you're doing here after 30 years, Sister Cassidy?

Not Sister.

No, you'll remember I never completed my final vows.

Something happened that day.

Yes, I remember.

Catalepsy.

That was the name they gave it.

A rare side-effect of untreated epilepsy, apparently.

Sister? Sister Cassidy?

BELL TOLLS

RAGGED BREATHING

COUGHING

LOUD GASP

SHE COUGHS

The condition gives the appearance of death.

Doctors say it's often triggered

by extreme emotional stress.

The moment of prostration is always an emotional one.

It wasn't that.

It was something I heard.

CHILDREN CRY

It was the sound of children.

Dozens of children, Father.

And I recognised every single one of them.

It was all the children that you and I stole from their mothers.

Now, hang on... That we stole and that we sold

to complete strangers. Calm down now, Sister.

We stole them, we sold them, and then we lied

and we pretended they were dead

in case their mothers went looking for them one day

and found out what we had done.

Let me show you something.

Letters of thanks from parents.

Christmas cards written to me from their children.

Safe and sound and happy.

Living with good Catholic families, all of them.

You kept these? I kept copies of everything.

If anyone came looking for these children,

I had to make sure no-one would find them.

I had to protect them.

We saved these children, Sister.

You should be proud of the work you did.

You're mad in the head.

You're deluded.

We didn't save anyone.

We disappeared these children.

And you have all this just sitting here rotting away in a box,

when you could be using all this to help reunite mothers

with their babies. They're not their mothers.

They never were in the first place.

Now, give them back to me. No!

Give them...! Come back!

No! Stop it!

HE GROANS SOFTLY

HE GROANS MORE LOUDLY

That's Breda, in the middle.

She wouldn't give me her name, but she left you something.

They're not coming.

What did you say?

I thought maybe you'd been stood up.

Sorry, you don't remember me.

We were at school together.

How did you know she wasn't coming?

I don't understand what you're saying. Get your hands off me!

VOICES ECHO

DOG BARKS

Don't worry. We can talk in the morning.

DOOR CREAKS

DOOR CLOSES

DOOR CREAKS

SHE PANTS

BABY CRIES

No! Where are you going?

Give me my baby!

BABIES CRY

SHE GASPS

Please!

Help me!

WHEEZING BREATH

SHE PANTS

SHE WHIMPERS

SHE SCREAMS

Hello?

PHONE RINGS

Lorna.

Can you get over to the station?

I think we've found something.

Hello, I'm James Coyle,

and I'm here to talk to you today about the Eadrom Group.

The Eadrom Group was founded

to help bring Catholicism into the 21st century.

Why are you showing me this shite talk?

It's him.

Coyle.

He's Ignatius McCullen.

He's the man my mother paid to adopt me.

Wait, wait. Wait.

You're saying that Coyle is the one who trafficked our children?

He worked for the House of the Sacred Shepherd

alongside Father Percy. Maybe Aoife too.

I mean, God knows who else.

Coyle is just one of many.

What, so he sold my Agnes?

Yeah. He's been using the Eadrom Group

to cover his tracks for years. Look.

Alongside out advocacy work,

we have helped raise funds from all over the world

to restore and refurbish community centres, churches...

..orphanages, mother and baby homes, laundries.

He's destroying the evidence of everything they did

and he's calling it charity.

I was right.

That's why he wanted us to sign that fucking contract.

To shut us up. The man has a lot to lose, Lorna.

We think he's involved in Father Percy's murder.

..but rather to have...

Go back! What? Go back, go back, go back.

There!

It's a primary school. St Alma's.

That's the place that Breda was talking about.

Where most of the kids were sent

from the Kilkinure mother and baby home.

Eadrom refurbished it in '91.

It used to be a children's hospital.

Do you see what I see?

Sisters of the Seven Joys.

That's no coincidence.

They ran a mother and baby home.

They must have run this place too. Where is it?

Slow down, Lorna, all right?

This isn't as simple as you'd like to think. But that's it.

That's the place.

That's where they took Agnes.

Someone there must know something.

But... No.

I'm going, Colman.

It's an hour from here.

How are you, Lorna?

I think it's about time we talked to Mr Coyle.

And how old is your daughter?

She's three.

Three. Lovely. So she'll be starting with us

in the nursery, which is just up this way.

What's her name?

Agnes. Agnes. Beautiful.

Well, I'm sure she'll love it here.

Is it true this used to be a children's hospital?

It was originally, yes.

And they brought kids from the mother and baby homes here?

Sorry... Are you a journalist?

No.

I'm one of those mothers.

And I've been looking for my kid for a very long time.

Here, look.

So, do you mean your daughter was brought here?

Yes, I think so.

She was taken away from me 30 years ago.

Look, I'm so sorry that I lied, I just...

This could be my last chance to find out what happened to her... It's OK.

Look, I'm sorry, but I'm not really sure how I can help.

I don't know, is there someone here I can talk to?

Maybe I could speak to the Board of Governors?

Some of them have been here since the school first opened.

That would be amazing.

It's worth a try.

Mr Coyle? I'm Detective Sergeant Colman Akande.

This is Sergeant Massey.

We've a few questions for you

in relation to the murder of Father Percy Sheehan.

Of course. I, um...

Let me see if I can find somewhere a bit more private so we can talk.

Here's fine for us.

Did you take a call from Father Percy at the Imperial Hotel,

the evening of October 30th?

I did.

The night of his murder.

What did you talk about?

Not much.

Small talk. I, er...

I congratulated him on his recent award.

PHONE RINGS

He didn't mention anything else, huh?

No. Nothing significant enough for me to remember.

I find that hard to believe,

considering he'd just been attacked and robbed.

Did you see him as a liability after that?

Excuse me?

Considering he knew all about you

and your friends at the Sacred Shepherd.

The children.

Ignatius McCullen.

Is it a crime for one to use a different name?

Child trafficking.

That's a crime.

Falsifying death certificates.

There's another.

Murder.

That's a big one.

Do you have anything to accuse me of here, Detective?

Where were you the rest of the night? After Percy called you?

I was giving a talk.

Not dissimilar to the one tonight.

It started at 6:30pm, shortly after he called me,

and it lasted until just before nine.

And er, can anyone attest to that, Mr Coyle?

Well, I er, I don't want to blow my own horn,

but it was a sold-out event.

So, yes, almost 200 people can attest to that.

He must have called someone else.

Coyle.

He must have done. He sent someone else to the house.

And how are we ever going to prove that?

What judge would ever give you a warrant for his phone records?

You're not even allowed to be working,

and we've just established the man has an airtight alibi.

Jesus, Massey, the man trafficked children for nearly two decades!

I was one of them. I know, lad.

I know.

But that's not the crime we're here to investigate.

CHILDREN SHOUT

Careful, guys. Don't fall.

Lorna?

You're in luck!

He said yes straight away, he was delighted to help.

OK, he's just in there.

OK, so, I'll leave you to it.

Thanks, Marie. OK. Good luck.

Lorna.

Hello.

My name's Dr Gabriel.

You're one of the governors?

I used to be.

I've still a few friends on the board.

I'm with the Health Service.

We had a lot of dealings with St Alma's back in the day.

When it was a children's hospital?

Exactly.

Please.

I'm really glad you asked to see me.

Marie told me...

Jesus, what you've been through, Lorna, it's, it's inconceivable.

I'm awfully sorry.

Thank you, Doctor.

Tell me, what do you need?

I'm at your service.

I think my daughter is still alive.

Can you help me find her?

Of course I will.

I'll do everything I can to help you.

However, it's only fair to let you know, Lorna...

I've worked on cases like this before

and sometimes these children don't want to be found.

Right.

Er, what do you mean?

Adoptees can often feel resentful towards their birth mothers.

They can feel abandoned.

So perhaps you're not ready for that, emotionally,

or psychologically. No.

I'm ready.

Believe me, I am.

Hmm.

I understand you were admitted to a psychiatric hospital once.

And you had counselling afterwards

that didn't end well?

How would you know that?

Well, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't go into your background.

Is it true the police have spoken to you

in connection with an arson attack?

Nothing was proven.

And it's not the first time you've been in trouble with the Guards.

No, please... Is it? Trespassing.

Please... Criminal damage. I'm a good person...

Intimidating behaviour.

Intimidating? Who am I intimidating?

And all the lies, Lorna.

I'm not lying! What am I... What am I lying about?

Someone told me that you turned up, unannounced,

pretending that you wanted to enrol your child.

No, no, I didn't. That wasn't...

That has to stop. I wasn't doing it on purpose, I'm trying to...

People are worried about you. They are scared.

You're not fucking listening to me...! Oh, for God's sake!

I'm just tying to find...

I'm not fucking lying!

I'm not fucking lying!

And what would your child think if she could see you now?

All these stories you've been telling yourself,

they're making you unwell.

If you continue like this,

you could be hospitalised without your consent.

Indefinitely.

Do you understand?

And we don't want that for you.

We'll leave it at that, so...

Thank you for talking to me, Lorna.

Do you remember one of the first things I ever said to you?

What, that I look like one of the Backstreet Boys?

MASSEY LAUGHS

No. No, I said that this...

..was a boring town.

And a couple weeks later, what have we got?

There must be something else we can do, Massey.

I should have done something years ago.

Well, you didn't know all of this was going on.

I was a part of it, Colman.

We all were.

We all knew what was going on up in that convent,

and anyone tells you any different and they're a liar.

I brought young girls up and back to that place.

I let taxi drivers haul young kids off to God-knows-where.

I saw the Cruelty Men go up to that convent

and come out and say everything was fine and I accepted it all...

What did you say? What?

You said, er...

The Cruelty Men? Well, yeah.

Yeah, that was just the nickname

we used for the inspectors from the, the whatchacallit, the ISPCC.

You mean the Prevention of Cruelty to Children?

Yeah.

It was just like a shorthand we used, you know?

The Cruelty Man's coming...

The Cruelty Man is coming. Run!

Those nuns...

they locked me in a tunnel...

and they'd say that the Cruelty Man was coming.

"Don't make a sound

"or the Cruelty Man will get you."

WHISPERING VOICES

FOOTSTEPS

I thought that he was a monster.

But he wasn't, was he?

It was a lie.

Those nuns were protecting themselves...

..from the cruelty that they were inflicting on me.

He was probably one of the few people who could have helped me.

HEARTBEAT PULSES

Where are you going? To put an end to all of this. Colman...

Colman!

BIRDS CAW

Lorna.

Are you all right?

I'm grand.

What's been going on?

I came to say goodbye.

You're leaving?

I was about to head to the station.

I tried calling you.

A few times. I left a couple of messages.

Will you be coming back?

No.

Probably not.

You know what I'm going to ask you, don't you?

Please.

Please.

Just... let me...

Let me take you out of this place.

I can't.

I have to be alone now, Michael.

Sorry.

OK.

I'd better be off, so...

I'll see you...

Lorna.

PHONE RINGS

This is Colman Akande. Leave a message.

DOOR CLOSES

SHE CLEARS HER THROAT

Amy. Hello.

You got my message, so.

Yeah.

I've been staying with Peggy and Deirdre.

They insisted.

I think they were worried after the whole thing, you know.

Thomas.

Yeah, well, so was I.

And that's why you were looking for me, right?

He wants to press charges?

Look, whatever it is, Massey, will you just get it over with?

Is that your daughter?

The problem is Catholicism's inability

to embrace its own reckoning and move forward.

APPLAUSE

Thank you.

Thank you very much indeed for what was an inspiring evening.

Detective. Mr Coyle.

I wasn't expecting you to stick around here.

Ah. I mean, of course.

That part about, er, what was it?

Embracing our own reckoning.

Yeah.

Well, thank you for coming, Detective.

If you'll excuse me, I just need...

How much did I cost?

How much did my mother pay for me?

I am coming for you...

..and all of your friends.

Ah, well...

Well, I think that went rather well, really.

October 30th, October 30th...

PHONE RINGS

Hello?

Mr Coyle?

You rang me?

I didn't ring you.

Let me just check.

Come with me.

I don't understand.

But why is he calling me?

Look, he'll know by now that I called you that night.

He'll work out that you went to Father Percy's house.

Now, listen to me, Leslie.

You are going to be arrested, but I need you to remember

there are a lot of good people here with a lot to lose.

Now, we need to know we have your silence, should it call for it.

I'm so sorry to interrupt, guys,

but could I speak to your colleague here?

I'm Detective Sergeant Colman...

Hey...

Hey! Stop!

Hey!

Hey... Get away from me.

Calm down. Give me that knife.

Shit...

Hey! Stop!

You're under arrest for the murder of Father Percy Sheenan.

You're not obliged to say anything unless you wish to do so...

WHISPERING: Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy Kingdom...

He made you do it, didn't he?

What happened that night?

I think Aoife stole the evidence of their crimes.

Percy called his old friend Coyle.

Then Coyle panicked, decided Percy was a liability,

and I think he coerced you into shutting him up for good.

How far off am I?

It didn't make a difference, you know that, don't you?

All of this is coming out whether you like it or not.

Those families that were torn apart.

All the people that benefited from it.

Eadrom's attempts to cover it all up.

Listen, I know what it's like to be misled.

OK, you think these are good, Christian people, but they're not.

They're godless, self-serving...

You are the godless ones!

You're not willing to make sacrifices.

Are you sacrificing yourself?

For him?

PHONE RINGS

COLMAN: Lorna? Are you all right?

Can I ask you a question?

Sure.

Do you love your mam?

You know, the woman who adopted you?

Raised you?

Yeah.

Of course I do.

Did she make you happy?

Did she give you a good life?

Lorna, what's this about?

Please, please, just answer the questions.

Yes.

I love my mam.

I'll always love her for what she's done for me.

You know, I think...

I think she saved me.

And what about your birth mother?

Do you ever think of her?

I think about her every day.

What if you never find her?

That's OK.

I'll always love her, too.

Because she loved me.

Didn't she?

Yes.

Yes, she did.

OK.

Thank you.

Wait, Lorna...

CLICK

SHE SOBS

BIRDS CAW

BIRDS CAW

SHE GASPS

CAWING GROWS LOUDER

MORE CAWING

WHISPERING VOICES

SHE GASPS

FLIES BUZZ

I'm so sorry.

You can't go in there! Stop!

I always wondered what these rooms looked like.

We've got it from here, Sister. Thank you.

What do you think you're doing?

Do you remember me?

Well, how about them?

I remember her.

Me too.

What is this? What... Aiden?

298 children died here at the convent.

And thanks to Lorna Brady, we have all their names.

Three of those children have burial records.

208 of them, we now know, were trafficked and sold.

That leaves 87 children completely unaccounted for.

Like this one here.

Emily.

Emily Kane.

That's my daughter.

You know I wanted to call her Emily.

I remember telling the midwife that.

And there she is.

We know for a fact that Emily died.

So we're assuming the other 86 children did too.

There's only one place where they could be,

where my little girl could be.

And that's here.

Still at the convent.

Where did you bury their bodies, Sister?

You can't come here...

..making new accusations.

Because you all signed an agreement!

That's right, Sister.

We can't.

But he can.

So what have you got to say, Sister?

No-one will believe a word those women are saying.

You know, for a long time, most of us would have agreed with you.

But I believe that's because we couldn't possibly fathom

that such evil could exist in this country.

Now, this is your last chance to tell us

what happened to those children.

Because after that, I'm coming after you with everything I have.

Because the way I see it,

you will be held to account for this either way.

If not by me, then by the man himself.

If he's half the man you claim him to be.

Very well so.

Good day to you, Sister.

I'll be seeing you.

Soon.

What happened?

How did she get up there?

She must have been still alive when I put her in the wall.

I killed her.

I didn't mean to, but I did.

OK.

OK.

It's your daughter?

Aoife found her.

She's alive.

Listen to me, Lorna,

we have to get your story straight.

This wasn't your fault.

You didn't know what you were doing, OK,

you have to say that you were sleepwalking. No.

That you were traumatised, that you weren't of sound mind.

No, Colman!

I'm not mad.

I never was.

But what about Agnes?

Lorna, you are so close to finding her.

My daughter's alive.

Look at her.

Look at her.

She is so happy.

That's all I needed to know.

# I am the cost

# Of misery

# To those I love

# And who love me

# I'm everything

# A woman's not supposed to be

# That's why they took

# My children off of me. #

Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there.

I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

Do not stand at my grave and cry.

I am not there.

I did not die.

How are you feeling?

Well, I'm sleeping.

How about you?

You look tired.

Ah, we've got nothing on Coyle yet,

or anyone else involved.

They're all protecting each other,

but there's got to be someone out there willing to talk.

Well, good luck.

Lorna, do you remember the payments in the church accounts books?

Some of them were weird amounts.

Like Agnes's.

£10,887.09.

It was because of the currency exchange.

Dollars to pounds.

It turns out St Alma's was a sort of processing centre.

Kids were sent there while the nuns got their papers sorted.

Got passports made up for them.

What, so you're saying that they were what, sent abroad?

I found her, Lorna.

It took a little while, but...

Who?

I found your daughter.

No, you didn't.

She's been looking for you too.

She's been looking for me?

Ever since her family told her she was adopted.

What, so you spoke to her?

Yes.

And where is she?

In Boston. Boston.

Boston...

Well, is she...?

You know, is she...?

It's OK.

It's OK.

Why don't you speak to her yourself?

I can speak to her?

If you'd like.

There's a room you can use.

Now?

All right.

Now...

You just press call.

What time is it in Boston?

It's nearly half seven.

Well, I... I wouldn't want to interrupt her breakfast.

She's waiting for you, Lorna.

VIDEO CALL RINGS

PING

Hi.

# But that's not going to happen

# I'm going to live

# Not for anybody but myself

# On the mountainside so steep

# Where the little donkeys sleep

# That's where I'll lay my sorry head tonight. #