2. All Lies Take Their Toll

Patrick FitzSymons seeks justice for an illegal adoption that rewrote his identity. His story helps uncover decades of secrecy, cross-border adoptions, and a state that turned a blind eye. As Ireland’s Taoiseach issues a historic apology on this issue, Patrick takes legal action - one of the first to do so. But after years of struggle, what does justice look like for Patrick, and for his birth & adoptive mothers whose choices, he believes, were shaped by shame?

Writer and Producer: Katie Bridget Murphy Senior Producer: Ophelia Byrne Executive Producer: Elizabeth Clark Sound Engineers: John Benson and Davy Neill Sound Design: Bill Maul Artwork: Tom Cunningham Assistant Commissioner: Prabhjit Bains Commissioning Editor: Khaliq Meer

Judged: A Mother’s Love is a BBC Audio Northern Ireland production with BBC Sounds Audio Lab.