Excavation Begins on Tuam Home ‘burial Site’

Galway Independent
October 5, 2016

http://www.galwayindependent.com/news/topics/articles/2016/10/05/4127745-excavation-begins-on-tuam-home-burial-site/

Excavations works on the site of an unofficial graveyard at the former Tuam Mother and Baby Home began on Saturday and will continue for five weeks.

A sample of the site will be excavated by a team of specialist archaeologists led by a Forensic Archaeologist, on behalf of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, which is investigating former homes around the country.

The Tuam investigation comes as a result of research by Tuam historian Catherine Corless, which revealed that 796 children died at the former Bon Secours home between 1925 and 1961.

The excavation works follow on from a geophysical survey ordered by the Commission in October 2015. A fraction of the site will now be excavated through test trenches, the location of which have been informed by a geophysical survey.

According to the Commission, the purpose of the excavation is to resolve a number of queries that it has in relation to the “interment of human remains at this location”.

The Commission said that residents and local groups are being informed of the impact of the excavation, with assistance from Tuam Garda Station.

“The Commission is grateful to the Gardai and Galway County Council, the owners of the site, for their assistance,” the Commission said.

The Commission now “awaits the outcome of the excavation” before deciding on further action in relation to its investigation.