Finding Tipperary Mary

The astonishing real story of a daughter’s search for her own past and the desperate mother who gave her up


‘I lit the candle and prayed for my birth mother, asking God to take care of her. It was as if I had made some kind of connection with her. Even at such a young age, I found it difficult to understand, but I always feared that she was in danger and needed my prayers. It was the only thing at the time that I could do for her. I feared that she might be coming to some harm and that she was not happy, but I was helpless and had nobody to talk to about my feelings. The only thing at that time was to pray that her guardian angel would take care of her and keep her from harm.’


Phyllis Whitsell began the search for her birth mother as a young woman ¨C and although it was many years before she finally met her, their lives had crossed on the journey without their knowledge. When they both eventually sat down together ¨C the circumstances were extraordinary, moving and ultimately life-changing. 


This is a daughter’s personal account of the remarkable relationship that grew from abandonment into love, understanding and selfless care