Three people abandoned as babies in Ireland believe fourth is out there
Three people who were abandoned as babies in Ireland in the '60s and later discovered they are siblings believe they have a fourth brother or sister.
David McBride, born in 1962, was left in a car in a Belfast driveway. John Dowling, born in 1965, was found in a Drogheda phone box and Helen Ward, born in 1968, was discovered in a Dundalk phone box. All three were adopted and raised in different parts of Ireland.
However, in 2020, Helen and David discovered they were brother and sister through DNA technology and reunited on the ITV series Long Lost Family. They were both shocked to discover that they had another full sibling, John.
The long-lost siblings are now seeking help as they believe they have a fourth sibling. As part of a new RTÉ documentary called The Phone Box Babies, the family hope it will encourage their sibling to get in touch.
The programme follows them as they uncover untold stories that reflect the Ireland of the past. Their mother was a young Catholic woman from the Republic of Ireland who, in the 1940s, began an affair with a married Protestant man from Northern Ireland, who was 17 years her senior and had 14 children of his own.
This affair endured for decades and, in that time, David, John, and Helen were born – and given up. Speaking about the documentary, Helen said: "This documentary has opened up the lines of communication about our biological parents, with people willing to share their stories.
"I hope the documentary fosters understanding and empathy, especially about what it's like to have to question your roots. I hope it encourages people to be open and receptive to helping others with similar experiences. The longing for connection with family is valid and deeply human."
During the documentary, the siblings confront some painful truths about their parents' complex relationship, who are both dead. And while they unravel the impact the abandonment had on their lives, Helen, David and John open their arms to new family members.
They discover they have many half-siblings and are determined to unearth the buried secrets of their family's past, in the hope that it will bring them closer together.
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Clodagh Finn: Lessons to save us from reinventing the wheel in the fight for equality
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Extra.ie
a day ago
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Irish phone box siblings search for long-lost brother
Three babies, who were all abandoned in different parts of Ireland, have revealed their hidden connection and why they believe there may be one more person just like them. Each of the babies was discovered in the 1960s by random passersby – two in phone boxes and one in a car – without any identifying information or clue to their origins. A new documentary airing next week on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player has uncovered details about the babies' parents and why they were given up. A newspaper clipping from the 1960s. Pic: RTÉ Fifty years later, as adults, they have discovered their connection to each other and are embarking on an emotional journey to uncover their identities. David McBride, born in 1962, was left in a car in a Belfast driveway. John Dowling, born in 1965, was found in a Drogheda phone box. Helen Ward, born in 1968, was discovered by a lorry driver in a Dundalk phone box. Driver Donal Boyle, who was 26 at the time, recalled: 'I opened the door of the phone box and there was a tartan shopping bag. I saw the bag moving and I said to myself, it's either someone dumped their pups or their kittens. David McBride. Pic: RTÉ 'And I opened the bag and there was the baby girl inside. The bottle was warm and she was well-wrapped up… but I don't know if she would have survived the night or not, it was so cold.' Each baby was adopted and raised in different parts of Ireland. In 2020, David McBride and Helen Ward discovered they were brother and sister through DNA technology and were reunited on the ITV series Long Lost Family. Helen Ward. Pic: RTÉ They were saddened to learn their parents had since died, but to their shock and joy, they subsequently found John Dowling, a third full sibling. They now believe there is a fourth sibling and are hoping this documentary will encourage that person to get in touch. Ms Ward said there were reports of a baby boy found in Newry in 1963, in a phonebox. John Dowling. Pic: RTÉ 'There's that strong possibility that this person could be part of our journey too,' she said. The Phone Box Babies airs on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player next Wednesday, July 2, at 9.35pm.
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Three people abandoned as babies in Ireland believe fourth is out there
Three people who were abandoned as babies in Ireland in the '60s and later discovered they are siblings believe they have a fourth brother or sister. David McBride, born in 1962, was left in a car in a Belfast driveway. John Dowling, born in 1965, was found in a Drogheda phone box and Helen Ward, born in 1968, was discovered in a Dundalk phone box. All three were adopted and raised in different parts of Ireland. However, in 2020, Helen and David discovered they were brother and sister through DNA technology and reunited on the ITV series Long Lost Family. They were both shocked to discover that they had another full sibling, John. The long-lost siblings are now seeking help as they believe they have a fourth sibling. As part of a new RTÉ documentary called The Phone Box Babies, the family hope it will encourage their sibling to get in touch. The programme follows them as they uncover untold stories that reflect the Ireland of the past. Their mother was a young Catholic woman from the Republic of Ireland who, in the 1940s, began an affair with a married Protestant man from Northern Ireland, who was 17 years her senior and had 14 children of his own. This affair endured for decades and, in that time, David, John, and Helen were born – and given up. Speaking about the documentary, Helen said: "This documentary has opened up the lines of communication about our biological parents, with people willing to share their stories. "I hope the documentary fosters understanding and empathy, especially about what it's like to have to question your roots. I hope it encourages people to be open and receptive to helping others with similar experiences. The longing for connection with family is valid and deeply human." During the documentary, the siblings confront some painful truths about their parents' complex relationship, who are both dead. And while they unravel the impact the abandonment had on their lives, Helen, David and John open their arms to new family members. They discover they have many half-siblings and are determined to unearth the buried secrets of their family's past, in the hope that it will bring them closer together.
