Forensic Team Begins Digging For Remains Of 800 Babies Buried At Ireland's Former 'Mother And Baby Home'

Forensic experts in Ireland have officially begun digging at the site of a former 'mother and baby home', marking a significant moment in uncovering the truth behind one of the country’s darkest chapters. Their goal is to identify the remains of almost 800 babies believed to be buried there.

The site—once the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in County Galway has long been considered a tragic symbol of historical wrongdoing. It has been described as a deep 'stain' on Ireland’s conscience ever since its grim discovery in October 2016.

This haunting chapter first came to light thanks to the tireless work of historian Catherine Corless, who revealed that 798 infants had died at the institution, shedding light on what had been hidden for decades.

Back in 1975, two bodies were discovered at the site, but the local community believed it was a burial site from the time of the Great Famine in 1845. The location was re-sealed, and no further questions were asked.

Years later, Corless uncovered that while there were official records of the babies’ deaths, there was absolutely no documentation showing where those children had been laid to rest.

Here’s a full breakdown of what we now know about the excavation efforts, the tragic circumstances behind the deaths, where the babies’ remains were found, and the legacy of the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home that continues to haunt the country today.

The remembrance garden on the former site of the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

What is a ‘mother and baby home’?

Mother and baby homes were places where unmarried women, often young and vulnerable, were sent during their pregnancies. These women were usually rejected by Irish society due to the country’s strict Catholic values.

According to a major report by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) in Ireland, nearly half of all infant deaths labeled 'illegitimate' between 1935 and 1945 took place inside these homes.

It’s important to note that only about one-fourth of all children born out of wedlock in Ireland at the time actually lived in mother and baby homes. That makes the death rate inside these institutions all the more alarming.

Where were the remains of the babies found?

The remains of close to 800 infants were uncovered on the grounds of the old Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home located in Tuam, a town situated in County Galway.

This facility had been operated by a Catholic religious order known as the Bon Secours sisters.

In recent years, the Sisters of Bon Secours issued both financial compensation and a formal apology. They acknowledged the tragic truth, admitting the children had been buried in a way that was both disrespectful and entirely unacceptable.

Historian Catherine Corless helped uncover the atrocity PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images

Why have so many babies been found at the mother and baby home?

One major factor contributing to the high number of infant deaths was the appalling living conditions. Reports from the BBC indicate that, on average, one infant died every two weeks while the home was operational.

In a deeply emotional interview with The Irish World, Annette McKay shared her family's personal connection to the tragedy. Her mother had lived at the Tuam home along with her sister, Mary Margaret, who sadly became one of the children buried improperly.

Annette described how her mother was told the child had suddenly become ill. A nun later informed her that the baby had passed away and that she had to leave the premises the very same day—denying her the chance to even see her child one last time.

"Mary Margaret was born in December 1942 and died in the June of '43 so she was six months old." she added.

"She died of, so they say, whooping cough."

"She wasn't present when the baby was buried."

When was the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home active?

The Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home officially opened its doors in 1925. It was housed inside an old workhouse that had once sheltered poor and starving adults and children during the Great Famine. Though the building was owned by Galway City Council, it was run by the Bon Secours religious order.

The facility remained in operation for 36 years. Conditions during this time were incredibly harsh and unfit for mothers and their children.

By 1961, the building had become so rundown that it was no longer usable, and it was finally closed. A little over a decade later, in 1972, the site was demolished and the land was eventually turned into a housing development.

Work began on the excavation of the former Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home site in Tuam Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Historian Catherine Corless' work

It was the relentless research by historian Catherine Corless that brought the truth into the public eye. Her work revealed that as many as 798 children died at the home for unmarried mothers between 1925 and its closure in 1961.

According to Corless, many of these children weren’t given a proper burial. Instead, their small bodies were dumped into what had once been part of the property’s sewage system—an area locals came to call 'the pit.'

Shockingly, out of all the children who passed away, only two were officially buried in the local cemetery. The rest were laid to rest without coffins or grave markers in an unmarked mass grave on the property.

Corless’ groundbreaking findings, published in 2014, stirred outrage both in Ireland and around the world. Her work brought to light a painful truth about how Catholic-run institutions treated children born out of wedlock. Many of these babies were denied even the most basic human dignity, like baptism or a Christian burial.

"I'm feeling very relieved." Corless told Sky News as the dig was set to begin. The process could take up to two years to fully complete.

"It's been a long, long journey. Not knowing what's going to happen, if it's just going to fall apart or if it's really going to happen."

Corless added: "The church preached to look after the vulnerable, the old and the orphaned, but they never included illegitimate children for some reason or another in their own psyche."

"I never, ever understand how they could do that to little babies, little toddlers. Beautiful little vulnerable children."