Excavation has commenced at a site in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland, where authorities suspect the remains of nearly 800 children may be buried. These children died at a home for unwed mothers operated by Catholic nuns, according to local historian Catherine Corless. Her research suggests that many of these infants were disposed of in a septic tank at the former Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home.
The institution, which operated from 1925 until its closure in 1961, witnessed the deaths of 798 children, with only two being buried in a nearby cemetery. The remaining 796 children are believed to be interred beneath the site of the demolished home, which is now enveloped by a modern apartment complex.
The Tragic History of Bon Secours
Bon Secours, locally known as “The Home,” served as a maternity refuge for unmarried mothers and their children. Run by a Catholic religious order, the home separated mothers from their newborns, who were often adopted without family consent. Unmarried women were sent there to give birth and were required to perform unpaid labor for a year.
The full extent of the tragedy was uncovered in 2014, thanks to Corless’s meticulous research. Her findings pointed to the children’s likely final resting place: a disused septic tank discovered in 1975. However, it was only in 2022 that legislation was passed to allow excavation work to begin at Tuam.
Excavation and Search for Closure
Now, more than a decade later, a team of investigators has started a forensic investigation, expected to take up to two years. The goal is to identify the remains and provide a dignified reburial, offering some closure to survivors and relatives.
Annette McKay, whose sister is believed to be among the 798 victims, expressed her desire for any remains to be found, no matter how small. “I don’t care if it’s a thimbleful, as they tell me there wouldn’t be much remains left; at six months old, it’s mainly cartilage more than bone,” she told Sky News.
“She was pegging washing out and a nun came up behind her and said ‘the child of your sin is dead,’” recounted Annette, whose mother gave birth at the home after being raped at 17.
A Broader Network of Oppression
Bon Secours was part of a larger network of institutions in Ireland, the extent of which has only recently come to light. Mothers who had more children out of wedlock were often sent to Magdalene laundries, notorious institutions for “fallen women,” supported by the state but run by Catholic orders.
The term “fallen women” initially referred to sex workers but expanded to include victims of rape and incest, as well as female orphans. The last of these laundries closed in the 1990s, leaving a legacy of trauma and suffering.
The commission report concluded that 9,000 children had died in homes across Ireland.
Government Response and Compensation
In 2014, the Irish government issued a formal apology, followed by a compensation scheme in 2022. To date, $32.7 million has been paid to 814 survivors. Despite this, the religious orders that operated many of these institutions have refused to contribute to the compensation program, despite appeals from victims and Ireland’s Justice Minister.
The excavation at Tuam represents a significant step toward acknowledging and addressing the dark history of these institutions. As the investigation progresses, it is hoped that the findings will provide a measure of justice and closure for the many families affected by these tragic events.