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Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Tuam babies' burial site to be sealed off as mass grave exhumation begins in June
The entire burial site of the Tuam babies will be forensically sealed off and monitored around the clock, as specialist teams prepare for Ireland's first exhumation of a mass grave next month. In an email sent Friday evening to the Tuam Babies Family Group, which includes many relatives of those buried at the site, the Director of the Intervention said his team is 'still on track to begin the excavation of the site in the second half of June' — although a start date has not yet been confirmed. Daniel MacSweeney who was appointed to oversee the exhumation two years ago, explained that 'Once works start, the entire site will be forensically sealed. We will erect 2.4-meter hoarding and put in place 24-hour security monitoring'. He continued 'It is expected that the works on the site may take up to 24 months to complete. 'During this time, the Memorial Garden will not be accessible. If you would like to visit the Memorial Garden, you should try to do so before mid-June.' The exhumation follows 11 years of public pressure after local historian Catherine Corless uncovered the names of 796 children believed to be buried on the grounds of the former mother and baby home. The institution, which primarily housed unmarried mothers, was run by the Bons Secours nuns on behalf of Galway County Council. It operated between 1925 and 1961. After the nuns sold the land and left Tuam, the children who died there were left buried on the property. A test excavation carried out in October 2016 and January 2017 revealed a "significant quantity of human remains" — belonging to babies aged between 35 foetal weeks and 2 to 3 years. Read More Oldest survivor of Tuam mother and baby home to purchase first home after fundraising appeal The remains were found dumped in 18 of 20 chambers of a disused sewage tank. This discovery sparked international outrage and was reported across major global news outlets. Tuam Mother and Baby home survivor Carmel Larkin, aged 70 attends to flowers left at the Virgin Mary shrine as a vigil is held at the Tuam Mother and Baby home mass burial site on August 25, 2019 in Tuam, Ireland. Picture:The intervention has come after more than a decade of campaigning from families of children who died there as well as Ms Corless. Mr MacSweeney told families and survivors: 'I am writing to update you, the people most impacted by the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, about the intervention.' He said this is 'the first step towards restoring dignity in death to those inappropriately buried at the site. We will confirm the exact date very soon.' Family members of the children who died in Tuam as well as survivors will be invited to the first perimeter of the forensically sealed site on July 8. Mr MacSweeney explained that 'additional dates will be added if needs be.' A family liaison officer, Paula Kennedy has been appointed to support families with details for the visits. He continued: 'I also want to let you know that we have begun further engagement with the Tuam Community and in particular the residents near the estate adjoining the Memorial Garden. 'We will host an information evening on 6th June. Most residents have received further information relating to the site works and the Information Evening.' Anna Corrigan, who was at the heart of the original exposure of the Tuam babies' burial scandal alongside Catherine Corless, said: 'It is almost surreal that this is happening. It is a day we thought would never arrive — and now it's happening next month. 'It is a small light at the end of the tunnel, I hope we find all of the children and that the mothers and my own mother included, Bridget Dolan, will be given some form of justice for what was perpetrated on them and the children will have some dignity in death. 'We still have to wait to see what is uncovered and how many children will be found, how many will be identified, or will we be left with lingering questions when this is all over.' Further information can be found on
Irish Examiner
29-04-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Exhumation of Tuam babies' mass grave to begin in June, confirms intervention director
The long-awaited exhumation of the Tuam babies' mass grave will get underway in June, the Director of the Authorised Intervention has revealed. A statement issued on Tuesday morning on behalf of Daniel MacSweeney, who is leading the works in Co Galway, said the intervention – the first of its kind in Ireland – 'is due to start in the second half of June this year, pending the appointment of the excavation contractor.' Mr MacSweeney said he expects to confirm exact dates in mid-May when the excavation contractor and forensic team have spoken to the 'families of people who were in the Tuam institution, survivors, advocates, residents living in proximity to the site, and others who have been most impacted.' He explained that the burial site will be 'forensically sealed at all times during the excavation," and that the team is "hoping to facilitate on-site visits for survivors and family members at the beginning of the excavation.' In 2014, local historian Catherine Corless uncovered the names of 796 children who died in the religiously run home from 1925 to 1961. Since then, a number of test excavations in 2016 and 2017 confirmed that the remains of children found at the site were from the Tuam Mother and Baby Home. When the nuns sold the land in the early 2000s, they exhumed the remains of their colleagues who were buried in the nearby Bon Secours private hospital but left the children in the mass grave. There was outrage all over the world when the story emerged that 796 children were buried in large chambers in a septic tank on the grounds of the home and were not given a proper burial. In 2014, local historian Catherine Corless uncovered the names of 796 children who died in the religiously run home from 1925 to 1961. Picture: Laura Hutton/ A Commission of Inquiry was established to investigate the circumstances of 14 homes and four county homes, and survivors received a State apology in 2021. Families and campaigners have long called for the children to be removed from the site and given a proper burial. Mr MacSweeney added: 'Our work is centred around the people and groups who have been most impacted by the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam. 'This includes families, survivors, and the Tuam community. Our work will be conducted in accordance with international standards and best practice, and in keeping with our core values. 'Substantial and meaningful planning has gone into this unique and incredibly complex excavation. As part of this, we are in the process of appointing a talented, high-calibre multidisciplinary forensic team and a main excavation contractor. 'The excavation will take place in two parts. Further details on the forensic approach being taken will be shared at the start of the excavation.' Annette McKay's sister, Mary Margaret O'Connor, died while in the Tuam home in 1943. She told the Irish Examiner, 'I am absolutely delighted that finally we have concrete news. 'It is very emotional considering it has taken us over 10 years to get to this point, where we finally might see the end of a terrible story and we can lay these little ones to rest.' For more information about the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam, see
