Everything Davie Donald does that I’ve listened to is captivating and fascinating. Absolutely love his content.

I listened to season one a few years ago which stayed with me. When I saw a season two I listened to all 8 parts. I wasn’t expecting it to be even better than the first season as so often they’re not but it’s addictive listening and something not many people know about but should. This is the BBC at its best. It’s a high end production with proper journalism.

This is one of the most important and powerful podcasts I’ve ever heard. I binged series 1 and 2 over a weekend. I don’t normally stick with podcasts to the end but I’ll listen to this one again. It was more like a film and should win awards. Well done to the BBC for making something like this.

Davie Donaldson is exactly the right person to tackle this difficult topic.

What I loved the most about this sad, and at times harrowing story was the respect and care given to all those affected.

The horrors faced by the traveller families was not something I was aware of. I was extremely moved by the poem at the end of the series cements the importance of hearing everyone’s entire story. The pinnacle of what this medium can do at its best.

Brilliant work that is important for everyone to hear.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. There is no doubt that the traveler community were treated badly and these poor children were subjected to awful abuse.

But seeing now how travellers treat and raise their children to this day gives me shudders and they are abused in their own community - there has been little growth in these communities.

There is no proof that this mother didn’t come forward because she was scared, no one knows what happened to this poor child except for the fact someone let him die and left him to drown away - the mother is nearing the end of her life, there’s no one coming to take her children now so why would you still leave your child alone like that. Thank god for the local community who looked after this child when his own community despite them all knowing this secret did not.

This podcast is very informative. The compassion shown towards the Unknown Bairn by the community that found him is in stark contrast with the ways in which generations of Travellers were treated until very recently.

This series caught my eye from a Facebook overview of the sad plight of a young boy found washed up on the beach in Scotland.

The series is beautifully crafted and gripping, and hugely educational about the traveller community and the indignities they’ve suffered.

The traveller community are most definitely misunderstood and in many ways feared. I’ve seen beauty spots trashed and fouled after travellers have moved through. This fuels further mistrust and disdain.

Also the police struggle to investigate internal crimes as many (especially women) are fearful of speaking out against their own, even when they’ve been abused. However, this series really planted the seed for compassion over their unorthodox behaviour.

Listen to the series and decide for yourself …

Timely story about humanity and our destructive habit of trying to ‘clean up’ cultures we don’t understand. Very eye opening.

I hope that the Wee Bairn continues to be a beloved symbol of children who are victims of adults who have convinced themselves they know best.

Thoroughly interesting listen. A very sad story but told in a great way. Highlighting some very important issues and injustices.

An excellent, informative account of a true life story that had to be told. It moved me to tears but the ending did provide at least some resolution of a massive historical wrong. The team who produced it should be commended

A fascinating historical insight into a

Community who are discriminated against. Sheds light on the care system and general societal discrimination right up to present day. Excellent podcast. Thankyou

This podcast addresses the undoubted injustice enacted on travelling people and on children taken into “ care”. This itself would have been a worthy subject for a podcast. It’s not done particularly well, sadly. The bizarre sequence of reasoning (if it can be called that) leading to the “discovery” of the identity of the unknown bairn is simply unbelievable. This element of the podcast is, I am sorry to say, a fairly cynical fabrication. I don’t say that the child did not come from a travelling family. I do say that the child’s identity could not have been arrived at through the absurd process described at such length. The presenter himself is a member of the travelling community and by his own admission the identity of the child was common knowledge in the community. He even claims to be related to the child! Hence, there is no mystery how he knew the identity of the child. I understand why an unscrupulous organisation might be tempted to make the story more interesting by introducing a spurious quest, even at the cost of deceiving the listener. This is not what BBC Scotland should be doing, I think. A further excellent example of nonsensical reasoning can be found in BBC Scotland’s Bible John podcast.

A difficult subject matter told sympathetically and informative way. Tugs on the heart strings. Told me a lot I didn’t know about the travelling community which makes me want to know more. I want to Google this man to see what else he has written/podcast. We’ll worth a listen.

Fantastically told saddest of stories.

Terrible narrator. Though a sad story, from a podcast viewpoint it was stretched out to fill the many episodes, with lots of padding and repetition. The accent of the narrator was strong and not suited to this, and a lot of what was said was unintelligible unfortunately. I left the podcast at the end of ep.8, unable to listen anymore. It should have had a professional artist narrate, because this is a sad and important story that had to be told but it was poorly delivered.

A rare and sensitive insight into people that have been poorly treated. I thought David Donaldson’s treatment of the story of the unknown bairn and the times he lived in was respectful and profound. The community of travelling people were humanised. It really made me shift my perspective of individuals living in different ways to the social norms.

Congratulations on your investigation which unearthed so much more than the wee boys name. My heartaches for all those families who suffered, families decimated for nothing more than being travellers. If it wasn’t for the unclaimed child then the story would never have been told.

It’s funny how a simple mystery can start as a hunt for a truth about one person & then unravel into a much bigger macro problem that many would prefer to see forgotten… stunning podcast

Such a sad story for so many “unknown “ children, beautifully told by family.

Binged this from start to finish, this is such an important story, and the reporters connection and storytelling ability makes it like a good book that you can’t put down. Ashamed that this story from very close to my own community is not more well known.

But quickly turned into a propaganda exercise for the travelling community, over the top so. Ruined what could have been a very good podcast.

Like a good book I can’t put down, I couldn’t wait to hear each episode. What a tale. In tears in the last few episodes, although I had a vague idea of the treatment of travellers in recent history, this crystallised in a way that is heartbreaking and so unfair. Thank you for bringing this story to light. Rest in peace wee bairn.

Changed my perspective entirely from the start till the end. To begin with I didn’t think there was any excuse for not claiming the baby but after understanding what the circumstances were at the time for travellers and how they were treated by society

This podcast sheds light on extraordinary events in very recent Scottish history.

It is compelling; heartbreaking and shocking.

This is a terrific listen, a personal tragedy with national implications about the way the traveller community was - and maybe still is, to a degree - treated. Fine investigative skills and sensitive, authoritative storytelling. Congratulations to Davie and the production team and sincere condolences to the family and the wider community.

This is a riveting story which is very well told and presented. Ashamed that I did not know about how travellers and their children were so poorly treated in the near past. When I told my husband about the events presented, he drew parallels to events of the Second World War. Why is this story not headline news? Brilliant piece of work and as an ex university lecturer I would definitely award this a first class honours mark!!

Such a sensitive and well done podcast. Had a lump in my throat for the bairn. Well done Davie and Kate.

Taking a local story and relating it to a historical scandal, this pod cast will never leave me. So glad I stayed with all this important research and detective work…

I’ve listened to this back to back this evening. The presenter is exceptional at sharing this story in a sensitive but direct way. I’m so glad the bairn has his name back. It’s shocking how children were removed from loving families just because their lifestyle was different. Keep doing you investigating and campaigning Davie, you have an exceptional talent.

Absolutely riveting podcast so sensitively presented by Davey. I was hooked from the beginning and admit I cried as the story unfolded. A truly shameful episode in our country’s history. So many children and parents deprived of a happy family life. Never let this happen again.

A thoughtful piece of work. An exploration of history through the lens of an unnamed child. The family’s experience was treated with dignity and respect. The poorest amongst us either from travelling families or others seen as an “underclass” have always lived with the fear that there rights can be removed from them at the whim of those who believe they know best.

Our present shame is that we continue in a rich country to condemn others for their poverty instead of looking at the systems that caused such poverty. The need for food banks and fuel banks today are our shame that future generations will not believe we allowed to happen.

This is a stunning podcast and I listen to many . Davie Donaldson investigates so sensitively a very sad story. His interviews with his travelling family are fascinating and poignant. Despite my Scottish upbringing I am ashamed to have not known much about the draconian and cruel removal of so many loved children from travelling families and the subsequent impact it had . A shameful, unforgivable period in our country’s history.

A heartbreaking investigation in to the mistreatment of the traveller community by the state and in to the life of one lost child who sadly represents many.

This podcast is a triumph. It had my crying I have to confess but I was also hooked. Davey presents it flawlessly and because of his connections makes the history so much more relatable. You start off shocked and bewildered and end humbled and understanding. Well done to all for highlighting a tragic tale and solving the mystery. Bravo

Really enjoyed this podcast Such an emotional story and a lot of research done to tell the story of the unnamed bairn

Excellent podcast! The story of the unknown bairn was really interesting but also really important as it highlights the discrimination that Gypsy/Travellers suffered in Scotland. I was aware of the racism and discrimination but had no idea that G/T children were forcibly removed from their families.

This is a deeply moving, important and beautifully told story.

I would more than encourage everyone to listen to it - at the very least we owe it to the Wee Bairn and his community.

When I hear a series like this, it makes me realise the power of podcasts. Such an important tale, so much to learn, and about time a platform was given to a marginalised and persecuted group who deserve to have their voices heard.m - the travelling people. Thank you for such an amazing listen. I feel privileged to now know the story of the unknown bairn.

Ps. Also lovely to hear true Scottish accents not glossed over in anyway 🥳

What a sad and harrowing tale. Davie has put a phenomenal amount of research into the bairn’s life and death. A heartbreaking tale.

David tells this story beautifully and with sensitivity. Was really interesting and sad to hear the traveller past within the community. Will definitely be recommending to friends and family x

Just finished episode one and this looks to be a very interesting story. The pace is good and I am looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

Is it possible to do DNA testing in the remains

A must listen. I’m ashamed to say that I knew little of the brutality that the traveller community suffered at the hands of the state. It’s shocking to know the truth and it’s something that needs further investigation. Thank you to the makers for this poignant and sensitive investigation. Highly recommend this podcast.

This really is a haunting story and the podcast is wonderfully produced in a way that highlights this. The unfolding of the story is perfectly paced and as Davie says, raises so many additional questions along the way. I’m grateful to him and the team for taking time to answer these questions in depth. I was sad, angry and disgusted for the ways the travelling community were demonised and abused by the powers that be. I had no idea. I’m about the same age as Sandy would be now and I’m angry on his behalf. Why oh why must people be so cruel? This podcast is a challenging listen but at the same time it had me gripped. The team did a wonderful job, thank you. Thank you to Davie - your poem is exacting. But most importantly thank you to Ian and his beautiful family for their endless love for Sandy. The unknown bairn shaped all your lives, and together with him you’ve taught us all what it is to love without limit. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Caroline. I wonder how many others like me feel compelled to journey to lay flowers?

The investigation that this podcast is about is remarkable. This journalist deserves recognition for solving this 50 year old mystery. A brilliant piece of detective work!

In addition the treatment of a minority culture, surviving in Scotland in spite of a campaign that existed from the 1950s until 2010 to destroy them is an appalling story that puts government at the time on the way to comparison with the worst of racist societies. Many Scottish people will be ashamed!

I found this very moving, an honest exploration of a terrible situation that existed not long ago for travellers. Well told Davey and his team.

My dogs enjoyed a particularly long walk, such was my need to listen to this story from start to finish uninterrupted. I was gripped from Episode 1. The story is incredibly sad but beautifully told. The presenter, Davy Donaldson tells the story wonderfully with his heart and soul. When you find out why it makes the story all the more incredible. It’s hard to believe that life was really like that for people who are, in essence, human beings like you and I. The research is phenomenal and commend the podcast to you. I will certainly keep a look out for more of Davy’s work.

Gripping, emotional & shocking. Incredible journalism by David Donaldson. I can’t believe I didn’t know how horrendously travellers have been treated in recent history and in our so called civilised society. It’s shocking that such vast numbers of the traveller community population had a their life turned upside down In such tragic ways, incomprehensible! This goes way beyond the discrimination that we sadly know travellers experience, it’s on another level, heartbreaking, those poor families. Way more needs to be done to expose this horrendous time in history to ensure lessons are learned so that God willing it will never be repeated. Would love to hear more from David Donaldson tackling discrimination of traveller and protecting traveller culture in Scotland.

I was recommended to listen to this by a friend whose niece works for BBC Scotland.

I listened to it over 2 days and it was harrowing and gripping.

Being born in 1958 and Scottish I remember people going to the “ The Berries”

Sad, story and many a tear was shed.

Martha came across as an incredible woman.

Very well researched and informative, yet harrowing, podcast series. It was so sad at points that I was walking along the road crying at times, such was the nature of the subject.

The last episode however, was disappointing for 2 reasons:

1) Comments from the Robertson family such as “I wish they’d been brave enough…” and “at least he was loved by us…” show how far attitudes towards travellers still have to come.

2) ‘Giving the boy his identity back’ was a statement used a lot by the presenter in this episode as though it was his right to either disclose it or not.