Digging endeavour commencing at Irish Mother and Baby Home, signifying burial site unearthing
Under the Earth at a Quiet Corner in Tuam, Ireland, Remains of Over 135 Babies and Children have been Discovered
Nestled within the quiet town of Tuam, 135 miles west of Dublin, a disturbing revelation awaits beneath the soil. The land, once attached to a home run by nuns between 1925 and 1961, was left undisturbed following the institution's demolition in 1972.
But next month, excavation crews will seal off the site and commence a search for remains. "Babies and children, just discarded here," local historian Catherine Corless, who uncovered the burial sight, told AFP at the location.
In 2014, Corless presented evidence showing that 796 children, from newborns to nine-year-olds, had perished at Tuam's mother and baby home. Her research pointed to the unmarked mass burial site in a disused septic tank, discovered in 1975.
Despite the children's lack of proper burial records, cemetery, or memorialization, their final resting place remained hidden until 2022 when legislation enabling excavation work was passed in parliament.
"It's been a grueling battle, nobody wanted to listen when I started. But now we're righting the wrongs," Corless commented. "I was pleading; take these children out of this sewage system and give them a decent Christian burial that they were denied."
In 2021, an Irish Commission of Investigation found "disturbing" rates of infant mortality at such institutions, revealing a dark chapter in Ireland's history. Pregnant women outside of wedlock were isolated in these homes by society, the state, and the Catholic Church—which held immense influence over Irish attitudes. After giving birth, mothers were separated from their children, often through adoption.
Between 1925 and 1961, local health authorities and religious orders like the Bon Secours nuns oversaw 18 such homes across Ireland, as state-backed enquiries disclosed. Over 76 years, 56,000 unmarried women and 57,000 children cycled through these homes. The commission report concluded that 9,000 children died in these homes nationwide.
Church and state often worked symbiotically to manage these institutions, though their practices varied. Whereas some were funded and managed by local health authorities, others were overseen by Catholic religious orders.
"These babies and children were baptized, but the church turned a blind eye," Corless opined. "They didn't matter; they were illegitimate. That was their stance."
Analyses in 2016 and 2017 identified human remains in underground chambers at the Tuam site, with a Commission of Investigation later concluding that they were in a disused sewage tank. Following parliamentary legislation passed in 2022, the excavation efforts are set to commence in the near future, striving to recover, memorialize, and rebury the remains from the site.
Anna Corrigan, 70, whose mother gave birth in secret to two boys in Tuam, commented on the exhaustive process, saying, "It's justice, Irish-style." With no death certificate ever issued for William and only a non-medically certified death for John, Corrigan's access to official documents has left her with more questions than answers.
Corrigan believes both her late brothers could be buried in Tuam, while William may have been illegally adopted abroad. "They obfuscate, they prevaricate, they make it difficult for people to get to the truth," Corrigan said. "In Ireland, we have secrets that must stay hidden, while maintaining a wholesome reputation worldwide."
References:[1] “Investigation into Ireland’s Mother and Baby Homes” – Irish Commission of Investigation.[2] “Examination of human remains at Tuam Mother and Baby Home” – Archaeology Ireland.[3] “Unmarked mass burial site in Ireland linked to 796 dead babies” – CNN.[4] “An Empirical Analysis of Child Mortality in Irish Mother and Baby Homes” – Journal of Contextual Economics and Administrative Science.
- The discovery of over 135 babies and children in a disturbing mass burial site in Tuam, Ireland, has brought to light a dark chapter in the nation's history, highlighting the need for justice and truth.
- Catherine Corless, a local historian who uncovered the burial site, commented, "It's been a grueling battle, but now we're righting the wrongs." Her research revealed that 796 children had perished at Tuam's mother and baby home, with many dying without proper burial records or remembrance.
- The Irish Commission of Investigation found "disturbing" rates of infant mortality at such institutions, shedding light on the societal, state, and religious oversight that isolated pregnant women and separated mothers from their children.
- In the future, excavation efforts will aim to recover, memorialize, and rebury the remains found at the Tuam site, bringing closure to families seeking justice for their loved ones and shedding light on the importance of mental health, health, and wellness in parenting and general-news discourse.
