The 81-year-old was raised at the Bethany Home orphanage in Dublin, Ireland. Over the years, she spent countless hours searching for her mother. The mother of three wanted to connect with her mother and was determined not to give up on that dream.
After sharing her story on RTÉ Radio 1, Eileen’s luck changed when a genealogist offered to help her find her long-lost mother. Many thought she was out of reach due to her mother’s life expectancy. While Eileen knew it was unlikely her mother was still alive, she continued her quest.
That determination paid off and Eileen was reunited with her mother Elizabeth, 103, who lives in Scotland. The bond was instantaneous when Eileen surprised Elizabeth at her home. Eileen said she had been in a trance since the meeting.
The feeling was mutual. Elizabeth was reluctant to let her daughter go after finding her after all these years. Eileen also discovered that she had two half-brothers.