Caitríona Palmer’s bestselling memoir, “An Affair with My Mother” captivated my heart immediately. It’s an honour to bring her story to you. Caitríona shares what building a relationship with her mother was like, the heartbreak of being kept a secret and the high cost she’s paid for sharing her story publicly. Listen in and find out how you can join our book club with Caitríona!

{ Caitríona Palmer’s photo by Megan Witt

Show Notes

Topics We Discussed

Born and adopted in the 1970s in Ireland, Caitríona always felt there was something missing - even though she grew up adamant that her adoption had no effect on her
What triggered Caitríona’s search for her birthmother in 1999
Building a relationship slowly through letters (via fax!), and then their first meeting
The “catch” was that Sarah had never told anyone about her first pregnancy and subsequent relinquishment; not her husband, her other children, no one.
Caitríona on interviewing Sarah for her memoir: “heart-wrenching and wonderful”
Meeting Philomena in real life!
The cost of sharing her story publicly, and would she do it again?
What Caitríona would do differently in reunion if she could do it over again
We discuss mothering after reunion, after estrangement
Caitríona tells us how adoption has affected her life, “You can grow up happily adopted and still have this hole”