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Canada News.Net
2 days ago
- General
- Canada News.Net
Excavations begin at child mass grave site in Ireland
Excavations begin Monday of an unmarked mass burial site at a former mother and baby home in westernIrelandsuspected of containing the remains of hundreds of infants and youngchildren. The planned two-year probe by Irish and foreign experts in Tuam comes more than a decade after an amateur historian first uncovered evidence of a mass grave there. Subsequent 2016-2017 test excavations found significant quantities of baby remains in a subterranean disused septic tank at the location, which now sits within ahousingcomplex. Catholic nuns ran a so-called "mother and baby" institution there between 1925 and 1961,housingwomen who had become pregnant outside ofmarriageand been shunned by their families. After giving birth, some children lived in the homes too but many more were given up for adoption under a system that often saw church and state work in tandem. Watch moreIrish church and state apologise for appalling treatment in mother and baby homes Oppressive and misogynistic, the institutions -- which operated nationwide, some not closing until as recently as 1998 -- represent a dark chapter in the history of once overwhelmingly Catholic and socially conservative Ireland. A six-year enquiry sparked by the initial discoveries in Tuam found 56,000 unmarried women and 57,000 children passed through 18 such homes over a 76-year period. It also concluded that 9,000 children had died in the various state- and Catholic Church-run homes nationwide. Records unearthed show as many as 796 babies and young children died at the Tuam home over the decades that it operated. Its grounds have been left largely untouched after the institution was knocked down in 1972 and housing was built there. 'A fierce battle' "These children were denied every human right in their lifetime, as were their mothers," Anna Corrigan, whose two siblings may have been buried at the Tuam site, told reporters earlier this month. "And they were denied dignity and respect in death." Ireland's Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention (ODAIT) will undertake the excavation, alongside experts from Colombia, Spain, Britain, Canada and the United States. It will involve exhumation, analysis, identification if possible, and re-interment of the remains found, its director Daniel MacSweeney told a recent press conference in Tuam. It follows local historian Catherine Corless in 2014 producing evidence that the 796 children -- from newborns to a nine-year-old -- had died at the home. State-issued death certificates she compiled show that various ailments, from tuberculosis and convulsions tomeaslesand whooping cough, were listed as the cause of death. Corless's research indicated the corpses were likely placed in the disused septic tank discovered in 1975, while prompting the state-backed enquiries that have uncovered the full scandal of the homes. The ODAIT team was finally appointed in 2023 to lead the Tuam site excavation. DNA samples have already been collected from around 30 relatives, and this process will be expanded in the coming months to gather as much genetic evidence as possible, according to MacSweeney. A 2.4-meter-high (7.9 feet) hoarding has been installed around the perimeter of the excavation area, which is also subject to 24-hour security monitoring to ensure its forensic integrity. "It's been a fierce battle. When I started this nobody wanted to listen. At last we are righting the wrongs," Corless, 71, told AFP in May. "I was just begging: 'take the babies out of this sewage system and give them the decent Christian burial that they were denied'," she said. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Irish Post
5 days ago
- Irish Post
Full forensic excavation of Tuam mother and baby home site begins
THE full forensic excavation of the site of a former mother and baby home in Co. Galway has now begun. Preparation works began at the site in Tuam last month. Forensic excavation work is now underway at the site in Tuam, Co. Galway Up to 800 children are beieved to have been buried in a septic tank at the site while it was in operation under the Bon Secours sisters from 1925 to 1961. The excavation, which will exhume the remains of all those buried there, is being led by the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT). Last week families of those connected to the site were invited to view the works so far. Yesterday the actual excavation began, with ground officially broken at the site at 10.38am on July 14. The site will now be entirely closed off to the public and concealed from view for the 24 months the excavation is expected to take. There is 24-hour security in place and a 2.4-metre hoarding erected around the perimeter of the site. A 2.4m hoarding has been installed around the site '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,' Daniel MacSweeney, who leads the ODAIT, said. Dr Niamh McCullagh, ODAIT's Senior Forensic Consultant, is leading the forensic excavation alongside other Irish specialists and international experts from Colombia, Spain, UK, Canada, Australia and the US. 'ODAIT's multidisciplinary forensic approach to the complex challenge of the excavation is grounded in the expertise of forensic archaeologists, osteoarchaeologists, forensic anthropologists together with experts in crime scene management including evidence management and forensic photography,' a spokesperson for the organisation confirmed. See More: Galway, Mother And Baby Home, Tuam
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Major excavation at Tuam mother and baby home burial site underway
The exhumation of the Tuam babies burial site got underway at 10.38am on Monday, the Director of Authorised Intervention in Tuam has confirmed. The site is believed to contain the remains of at least 796 children who died in the former mother and baby home that was operated by the Bon Secours Sisters order between 1925 and 1961. Eleven years ago, local historian Catherine Corless uncovered the names of the children who were born to unmarried mothers at the institution. They were buried in a disused sewage tank when they died. The forensic excavation is expected to take approximately 24 months to complete, while the site itself at the centre of the Dublin Road housing estate is under forensic control and there is no public access to it. In a statement, Daniel MacSweeney, who is Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam, said: '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.' Some of the families of the children who died in Tuam attended a family day last Tuesday, along with survivors from the home, which was organised by the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention. International experts Senior forensic consultant Dr Niamh McCullagh is leading the forensic excavation alongside other Irish specialists and international experts from Colombia, Spain, Britain, Canada, Australia, and the US. A multidisciplinary forensic approach to the complex challenge of the excavation is grounded in the expertise of forensic archaeologists, osteoarchaeologists, and forensic anthropologists, together with experts in crime scene management, including evidence management and forensic photography. Photographs, drones, and video footage are strictly prohibited during the exhumation. Chrissie Tully, whose son died while she was in the care of the Tuam home, said: 'I hope they find as many of the children as possible. It's been too long. 'I have been lighting my candle for the children all morning. It was lit by 10.38am so even though we weren't told the time, my candle was lit all morning. 'Please God they find them, and please God my son is found.'
Bangkok Post
6 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Excavations begin at child mass grave site in Ireland
DUBLIN - Excavations begin Monday of an unmarked mass burial site at a former mother and baby home in western Ireland suspected of containing the remains of hundreds of infants and young children. The planned two-year probe by Irish and foreign experts in Tuam comes more than a decade after an amateur historian first uncovered evidence of a mass grave there. Subsequent 2016-2017 test excavations found significant quantities of baby remains in a subterranean disused septic tank at the location, which now sits within a housing complex. Catholic nuns ran a so-called "mother and baby" institution there between 1925 and 1961, housing women who had become pregnant outside of marriage and been shunned by their families. After giving birth, some children lived in the homes too but many more were given up for adoption under a system that often saw church and state work in tandem. Oppressive and misogynistic, the institutions -- which operated nationwide, some not closing until as recently as 1998 -- represent a dark chapter in the history of once overwhelmingly Catholic and socially conservative Ireland. A six-year enquiry sparked by the initial discoveries in Tuam found 56,000 unmarried women and 57,000 children passed through 18 such homes over a 76-year period. It also concluded that 9,000 children had died in the various state- and Catholic Church-run homes nationwide. Records unearthed show as many as 796 babies and young children died at the Tuam home over the decades that it operated. Its grounds have been left largely untouched after the institution was knocked down in 1972 and housing was built there. - 'A fierce battle' - "These children were denied every human right in their lifetime, as were their mothers," Anna Corrigan, whose two siblings may have been buried at the Tuam site, told reporters earlier this month. "And they were denied dignity and respect in death." Ireland's Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention (ODAIT) will undertake the excavation, alongside experts from Colombia, Spain, Britain, Canada and the United States. It will involve exhumation, analysis, identification if possible, and re-interment of the remains found, its director Daniel MacSweeney told a recent press conference in Tuam. It follows local historian Catherine Corless in 2014 producing evidence that the 796 children -- from newborns to a nine-year-old -- had died at the home. State-issued death certificates she compiled show that various ailments, from tuberculosis and convulsions to measles and whooping cough, were listed as the cause of death. Corless's research indicated the corpses were likely placed in the disused septic tank discovered in 1975, while prompting the state-backed enquiries that have uncovered the full scandal of the homes. The ODAIT team was finally appointed in 2023 to lead the Tuam site excavation. DNA samples have already been collected from around 30 relatives, and this process will be expanded in the coming months to gather as much genetic evidence as possible, according to MacSweeney. A 2.4-meter-high (7.9 feet) hoarding has been installed around the perimeter of the excavation area, which is also subject to 24-hour security monitoring to ensure its forensic integrity. "It's been a fierce battle. When I started this nobody wanted to listen. At last we are righting the wrongs," Corless, 71, told AFP in May.
Straits Times
6 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Excavations begin at mass child grave site in Ireland
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Records unearthed show as many as 796 babies and young children died at the Tuam home. DUBLIN - Excavations at an unmarked mass burial site are expected to start on July 14 in a former mother and baby home in western Ireland. The site is suspected of containing the remains of hundreds of infants and young children. The planned two-year probe by Irish and foreign experts in Tuam, a town located north of Galway, comes more than a decade after an amateur historian first uncovered evidence of a mass grave there. Subsequent test excavations in 2016 to 2017 found significant quantities of baby remains in a subterranean disused septic tank at the location, which now sits within a housing complex. Catholic nuns ran a so-called 'mother and baby' institution there between 1925 and 1961, housing women who had become pregnant outside of marriage and were shunned by their families. After giving birth, some children lived in the homes too but many more were given up for adoption under a system that often saw the church and state work in tandem. Oppressive and misogynistic, the institutions – which operated nationwide, some not closing until as recently as 1998 – represent a dark chapter in the history of the once overwhelmingly Catholic and socially conservative Ireland. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore's economy sees surprise expansion in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore Singapore to train more aviation and maritime officials from around the world Singapore What's in a name? Local author traces the evolution of Singaporean Chinese names Business From wellness zone to neurodivergent room: How companies are creating inviting, inclusive offices Singapore Swift action needed to stop vaping's slide from health risk to drug epidemic Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore Art by Pathlight students to be displayed along Singapore River Sport Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz to capture maiden Wimbledon crown A six-year inquiry sparked by the initial discoveries in Tuam found that 56,000 unmarried women and 57,000 children passed through 18 such homes over a 76-year period. It also concluded that 9,000 children had died in the various state and Catholic Church-run homes nationwide. Records unearthed show as many as 796 babies and young children died at the Tuam home over the decades that it operated. Its grounds have been left largely untouched after the institution was knocked down in 1972 and housing was built there. A fierce battle Ms Anna Corrigan, whose two siblings may have been buried at the Tuam site, spoke reporters earlier in July . She said: 'These children were denied every human right in their lifetime, as were their mothers. 'And they were denied dignity and respect in death.' Ireland's Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention (Odait) will undertake the excavation, alongside experts from Colombia, Spain, Britain, Canada and the United States. It will involve exhumation, analysis, identification if possible, and re-interment of the remains found, said Odait d irector Daniel MacSweeney at a press briefing in Tuam. In 2014, local historian Catherine Corless produced evidence that the 796 children – from newborns to a nine-year-old – had died at the home. State-issued death certificates she compiled show that various ailments, from tuberculosis and convulsions to measles and whooping cough, were listed as the cause of death. Ms Corless's research indicated the corpses were likely placed in the disused septic tank discovered in 1975, while prompting the state-backed enquiries that have uncovered the full scandal of the homes. The Odait team was finally appointed in 2023 to lead the Tuam site excavation. DNA samples have already been collected from about 30 relatives, and this process will be expanded in the coming months to gather as much genetic evidence as possible, said Mr MacSweeney. A 2.4m high hoarding has been installed around the perimeter of the excavation area, which is also subject to 24-hour security monitoring to ensure its forensic integrity. In May, Ms Corless, 71, said: 'It's been a fierce battle. When I started this, nobody wanted to listen. At last, we are righting the wrongs. I was just begging: 'Take the babies out of this sewage system and give them the decent Christian burial that they were denied.''
