IRELAND
Irish Times
The scale of remains found in Tuam burial ground has caused profound upset
Confirmation that the remains of a significant number of babies and infants up to three years of age, probably in their hundreds, have been found on the site of the former mother and baby home in Tuam, Co Galway, has prompted profound upset.
It follows an investigation by the Commission on Mother and Baby Homes which carried out planned excavations there in 2015. The commission’s admission that it was “shocked” by the scale of the discovery reflects the disturbing circumstances of what has the hallmarks of inhuman burial.
Test trenches were dug revealing two large structures. The fact that one structure appears to be a sewage containment system or septic tank that had been decommissioned and filled with rubble adds to the distress of those trying to come to terms with this dark episode. The second connected structure is divided into 20 chambers; 17 of which contained remains.
These related to individuals with age-at-death ranges from approximately 35 foetal weeks to two to three years. Radiocarbon testing suggests they date from the timeframe relevant to the operation of the home, from 1925 to 1961. This was not (as suggested by some) a Famine grave from the mid 19th century when mass burial became the norm in desperate times.
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