Survivors invited to view excavation works at site of former mother and baby home in Tuam
Some 796 children are believed to be buried in a septic tank at the former home in Co. Galway while it was in operation under the Bon Secours sisters from 1925 t0 1961.
Pre-excavation work has begun at the site of the former mother and baby home in Tuam (Pic: Andrew Downes, xposure)
In 2010 local amateur historian Catherine Corless uncovered the mass grave after finding death certificates for 796 babies and children, but no burial records.
This week work got underway at the site to exhume those remains, which is expected to continue for a period of 24 months.
While the work is ongoing the site will be closed off to the public, however the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT), which is responsible for the excavation, has confirmed today that those connected to the site will be invited to come and view the work being done there on July 8.
Trucks arrive delivering equipment and barriers to be erected at the site of the former mother and baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway, Ireland. (Pics: Andrew Downes, xposure)
'Families with relatives who were in the Tuam institution and survivors of the institution will have an opportunity to view the site works as part of a Family and Survivors Day that ODAIT is holding on July 8,' they told The Irish Post.
'Any family members or survivors interested in joining the site visit are welcome to contact ODAIT on [email protected] ,' they added.
The excavation works are expected to take 24 months to complete
(Pics:Andrew Downes, xposure)
Earlier this week, Daniel MacSweeney, who leads ODAIT, said the families of those affected have been 'informed of the timeline' of works at the Tuam site.
'The initial four weeks will involve setting up the site, including the installation of 2.4-metre hoarding around the perimeter,' he explained.
'These measures are necessary to ensure the site's forensic integrity and to enable us to carry out the works to the highest international standards that govern the excavation and recovery programme.'
Mr MacSweeney added: 'This is a unique and incredibly complex excavation.
'The work is expected to take approximately 24 months to complete.
'As the site will be under forensic control at all times during the excavation we are putting in place plans to facilitate a day for family members and survivors to include a visit to the perimeter of the forensically controlled site to view the works being undertaken.'
To take part in the site visit contact [email protected] .
See More: Excavation, Family Day, Galway, Mother And Baby Home, Tuam
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Troubled Ground is a two-part podcast that explores the historic exhumation of a mass grave at the site of the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Co Galway, involving the remains of 796 infants and children. In Episode 1, reporter Alison O'Reilly meets local historian Catherine Corless, who first uncovered the existence of the burial site and whose research ultimately led to the excavation. Forensic experts describe the painstaking process of examining the site in search of lost remains. The episode revisits the origins of the Tuam Babies story, beginning in 2014 with Catherine Corless's research into the deaths of hundreds of children at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home. Anna Corrigan shares the devastating discovery that her mother had two sons who died in the home. Despite initial indifference from the media, the story gained traction on the global stage. As international attention mounted, political leaders were compelled to respond, including the Taoiseach of the day, Enda Kenny. The episode captures how a local investigation into a burial ground for forgotten children led to the first mass grave exhumation of its kind in Ireland. To hear more compelling journalism from the Irish Examiner team, follow The Full Story podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Read More Alison O'Reilly: It took a global spotlight for many to accept hundreds of babies are buried in a septic tank in Tuam
