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Glasgow Times
07-07-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
International experts join mass grave excavation at mother and baby home
Personnel from Colombia, Spain, the UK, Canada and the US have joined the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention (ODAIT) team in Tuam, Co Galway as pre-excavation work continues. The full-scale excavation of the site will try to identify the remains of infants who died at the home between 1925 and 1961. In 2014, research led by local historian Catherine Corless indicated that 796 babies and young children were buried in a sewage system at the Co Galway institution across that time period. A memorial left at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway, at the start of pre-excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The St Mary's home for unmarried mothers and their children was run by the Bon Secours Sisters, a religious order of Catholic nuns. In 2021, Irish premier Micheal Martin delivered an apology on behalf of the state for the treatment of women and children who were housed in mother and baby homes across Ireland. The Bon Secours Sisters also offered a 'profound apology' after acknowledging the order had 'failed to protect the inherent dignity' of women and children in the Tuam home. The work at the burial site, which is being undertaken by the ODAIT, will involve exhumation, analysis, identification if possible, and re-interment of the remains at the site. A 2.4-metre-high hoarding has been installed around the perimeter. Workers have arrived on site to prepare ahead of excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The site is subject to security monitoring on a 24-hour basis to ensure the forensic integrity of the site during the excavation. The excavation is expected to begin next week and is anticipated to last two years. Speaking as part of a media briefing at the site on Monday, ODAIT leader Daniel McSweeney said: 'We have reached an important new stage of this unique and incredibly complex excavation. It's three weeks since we took control of the site and significant progress has been made since then. 'We have recruited essential expert staff to the team, preparation work at the site is ongoing to safeguard the integrity of the site and the sensitive nature of the work.' A worker at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway, at the start of pre-excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The ODAIT will host a 'Family and Survivors Day' on Tuesday, which Mr McSweeney described as 'the most important event of the week'. This event, which is closed to the media, will encompass a visit to the site and a meeting to 'keep them informed about the work that has taken place so far and about what will be taking place next'. He added: 'We continue to work closely with the residents living close to the site to ensure minimum disruption is caused to them by the works.'
Irish Examiner
07-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
International experts join mass grave excavation at Tuam mother and baby home
An international team of experts have joined Irish specialists ahead of an excavation of a mass grave at the site of a notorious former mother and baby home in the west of Ireland. Personnel from Colombia, Spain, the UK, Canada and the US have joined the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention (ODAIT) team in Tuam, Co Galway as pre-excavation work continues. The full-scale excavation of the site will try to identify the remains of infants who died at the home between 1925 and 1961. In 2014, research led by local historian Catherine Corless indicated that 796 babies and young children were buried in a sewage system at the Co Galway institution across that time period. A memorial left at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway, at the start of pre-excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The St Mary's home for unmarried mothers and their children was run by the Bon Secours Sisters, a religious order of Catholic nuns. In 2021, Taoiseach Micheál Martin delivered an apology on behalf of the State for the treatment of women and children who were housed in mother and baby homes across Ireland. The Bon Secours Sisters also offered a 'profound apology' after acknowledging the order had 'failed to protect the inherent dignity' of women and children in the Tuam home. The work at the burial site, which is being undertaken by the ODAIT, will involve exhumation, analysis, identification if possible, and re-interment of the remains at the site. A 2.4-metre-high hoarding has been installed around the perimeter. Workers have arrived on site to prepare ahead of excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The site is subject to security monitoring on a 24-hour basis to ensure the forensic integrity of the site during the excavation. The excavation is expected to begin next week and is anticipated to last two years. Speaking as part of a media briefing at the site on Monday, ODAIT leader Daniel McSweeney said: 'We have reached an important new stage of this unique and incredibly complex excavation. It's three weeks since we took control of the site and significant progress has been made since then. 'We have recruited essential expert staff to the team, preparation work at the site is ongoing to safeguard the integrity of the site and the sensitive nature of the work.' A worker at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway, at the start of pre-excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The ODAIT will host a 'Family and Survivors Day' on Tuesday, which Mr McSweeney described as 'the most important event of the week'. This event, which is closed to the media, will encompass a visit to the site and a meeting to 'keep them informed about the work that has taken place so far and about what will be taking place next'. He added: 'We continue to work closely with the residents living close to the site to ensure minimum disruption is caused to them by the works.'
Western Telegraph
07-07-2025
- General
- Western Telegraph
International experts join mass grave excavation at mother and baby home
Personnel from Colombia, Spain, the UK, Canada and the US have joined the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention (ODAIT) team in Tuam, Co Galway as pre-excavation work continues. The full-scale excavation of the site will try to identify the remains of infants who died at the home between 1925 and 1961. In 2014, research led by local historian Catherine Corless indicated that 796 babies and young children were buried in a sewage system at the Co Galway institution across that time period. A memorial left at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway, at the start of pre-excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The St Mary's home for unmarried mothers and their children was run by the Bon Secours Sisters, a religious order of Catholic nuns. In 2021, Irish premier Micheal Martin delivered an apology on behalf of the state for the treatment of women and children who were housed in mother and baby homes across Ireland. The Bon Secours Sisters also offered a 'profound apology' after acknowledging the order had 'failed to protect the inherent dignity' of women and children in the Tuam home. The work at the burial site, which is being undertaken by the ODAIT, will involve exhumation, analysis, identification if possible, and re-interment of the remains at the site. A 2.4-metre-high hoarding has been installed around the perimeter. Workers have arrived on site to prepare ahead of excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The site is subject to security monitoring on a 24-hour basis to ensure the forensic integrity of the site during the excavation. The excavation is expected to begin next week and is anticipated to last two years. Speaking as part of a media briefing at the site on Monday, ODAIT leader Daniel McSweeney said: 'We have reached an important new stage of this unique and incredibly complex excavation. It's three weeks since we took control of the site and significant progress has been made since then. 'We have recruited essential expert staff to the team, preparation work at the site is ongoing to safeguard the integrity of the site and the sensitive nature of the work.' A worker at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway, at the start of pre-excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The ODAIT will host a 'Family and Survivors Day' on Tuesday, which Mr McSweeney described as 'the most important event of the week'. This event, which is closed to the media, will encompass a visit to the site and a meeting to 'keep them informed about the work that has taken place so far and about what will be taking place next'. He added: 'We continue to work closely with the residents living close to the site to ensure minimum disruption is caused to them by the works.'
Irish Post
17-06-2025
- General
- Irish Post
Survivors invited to view excavation works at site of former mother and baby home in Tuam
SURVIVORS and family members connected to a mother and baby home in Tuam which is currently being excavated have been invited to view the works at the site. 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
Sunday World
16-06-2025
- General
- Sunday World
Preparatory work begins ahead of mass grave excavation at mother and baby home
The St Mary's home for unmarried mothers and their children was run by the Bon Secours Sisters, a religious order of Catholic nuns A memorial left at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway, at the start of pre-excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) Pre-excavation work on the site of a notorious former mother and baby home in Tuam in Co Galway has begun. The preparatory phase, which will last around four weeks, comes ahead of the full-scale excavation of the site to try to identify the remains of infants who died at the home between 1925 and 1961. In 2014, research led by local historian Catherine Corless indicated that 796 babies and young children were buried in a sewage system at the Co Galway institution across that time period. The St Mary's home for unmarried mothers and their children was run by the Bon Secours Sisters, a religious order of Catholic nuns. The preparatory phase is due to last for four weeks (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) In 2021, Irish premier Micheal Martin delivered an apology on behalf of the state for the treatment of women and children who were housed in mother and baby homes across Ireland. The Bon Secours Sisters also offered a 'profound apology' after acknowledging the order had 'failed to protect the inherent dignity' of women and children in the Tuam home. Speaking about the work on Monday, Mr Martin said: 'it's very significant day in respect of the excavation in Tuam. 'It's a very, very difficult harrowing story and situation. We have to wait to see what unfolds now as a result of the excavation.' The work at the burial site, which is being undertaken by the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT), will involve exhumation, analysis, identification if possible, and re-interment of the remains at the site. The pre-excavation work includes the installation of a 2.4-metre hoarding around the perimeter. Memorial candles at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) The site will now be subject to security monitoring on a 24-hour basis to ensure the forensic integrity of the site during the excavation. The excavation is anticipated to last two years. Ahead of the preparatory work, Daniel MacSweeney, who leads the ODAIT, described the planned excavation as 'unique and incredibly complex'. One of Mr MacSweeney's main responsibilities will be to ensure any remains that are uncovered are re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way. A memorial left at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway, at the start of pre-excavation works (Andrew Downes/ODAIT/PA) News in 90 seconds - 16th June 2025
