Forensic investigators have begun the delicate and somber task of exhuming what may be the remains of nearly 800 children buried at the former Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Ireland. The site, once run by Catholic nuns, was in operation from 1925 until 1961 and was intended to house unwed pregnant women and their children. Over the decades, it became a place of deep sorrow for many, and now, it is the center of a significant historical and forensic investigation.
The children believed to be buried at the site range in age from about 35 weeks of gestation to around three years old. Most are thought to have died due to malnutrition, disease, or neglect. Their remains were reportedly placed in what was once a septic tank. According to local records, 798 children died at the home during its operation. Only two are known to have received proper burials. The rest were never officially accounted for—until recently.
Excavation work began on June 16 under the guidance of the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention in Tuam (ODAIT). Officials say the process will likely take up to two years, as forensic teams work carefully to recover the remains, conduct DNA identification, and ensure each child receives a dignified reburial.
The story of the Bon Secours home resurfaced in 2014, thanks to the research of local historian Catherine Corless. After reviewing death records and cross-referencing them with burial records, Corless uncovered the disturbing discrepancy that pointed to hundreds of missing children. Her work became a turning point in public awareness and governmental response to the legacy of Ireland’s mother and baby homes.
The Bon Secours facility, also known locally as “The Home,” was one of many such institutions in Ireland. These homes were designed to keep unmarried pregnant women out of public view, reflecting the strict social and religious norms of the time. Women sent there were often forced to remain for at least a year, during which time they performed unpaid labor. In many cases, their children were taken from them and put up for adoption, often without the mothers’ full consent or understanding.
Mass grave’ excavation to finally start at Irish mother and baby home, in Tuam Galway Ireland,The land was attached to a home run by nuns between 1925 and 1961,796 newborns and children are believed to have died at the mother and baby home.Shooting for AFP pic.twitter.com/vyocyVoJSF
— Paul Faith (@pa_faith) June 15, 2025
The home was demolished in 1971, and today, a modern apartment complex surrounds the site. For many in Tuam and across Ireland, the renewed attention to the location brings mixed emotions—grief, anger, and a need for closure. Families of former residents and those who may be related to the children buried there are now looking to DNA testing as a possible way to reconnect with lost relatives and seek long-overdue acknowledgment.
🇮🇪 VIDEO: ‘Mass grave’ excavation to start at site of Irish mother and baby home
A quiet, walled patch of grass in the middle of an Irish housing estate in the town of Tuam is set to reveal the latest disturbing chapter in Ireland’s “mother and baby” home scandal. pic.twitter.com/rukpqJuUtn
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 18, 2025
The work being done now aims not just to identify the remains, but also to provide a measure of justice and remembrance for those who lived and died without recognition. As forensic teams move forward, they do so with the hope of giving names back to the nameless and providing peace to the families who have waited generations for answers.
