Further 10 sets of infant remains recovered during Tuam excavation

A FURTHER TEN sets of infant remains have been recovered as part of the ongoing excavation of the site of the former Mother and Baby Institution in Tuam.

In its latest update, the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention (ODAIT) said all ten were found in coffins in a section of land which was excavated by hand. 

It brings the total number of infant remains recovered from the site to 109.

The excavation of the St Mary’s site in the Co Galway town is attempting 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.

Archaeologists and other specialists started working at the site on 14 July last year.

This latest update covers the period between July and September. 

The ODAIT said the recovery of all accessible Mother and Baby Institution remains has been completed in the area marked ‘tent 2’, and the excavation process was paused to allow for the dismantling of the current tent and the erection of a bigger tent, marked ‘tent 3’.

It said the next area of the excavation will focus on an area “up to and beyond” the old boundary wall of the institution’s grounds.

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Meanwhile, work has continued to amend the Institutional Burials Legislation to include first cousins as eligible family members, with officials from the Department of Children, Equality and Disability working with the Office of the Attorney General.

The Bill has now been brought to government and is expected to be published in the coming days. It will then proceed through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

During this reporting period, ODAIT said it collected an additional 12 DNA reference samples which have been delivered to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI).

This brings the total number of DNA reference samples taken to 74.

ODAIT has urged anyone who believes they may have a family member buried at the site of the former Tuam Mother and Baby Institution to contact their office on +353 (0)1 539 1777 or email info@dait.ie.

“Our team can answer any questions and help guide you through the process,” they said in the report.

Information for those interested in providing a DNA sample is available on the ODAIT’s website. 

Forensic analysis is now under way in the recently opened forensic facility and mortuary, which is located close to the excavation site in Tuam.

Forensic anthropologists are undertaking the analysis, ensuring all human remains recovered “are examined with care and treated with dignity throughout the forensic process”, the ODAIT said.

Teams will forensically examine the recovered remains and try to determine the age, sex, and any additional information possible about the conditions of these babies and children at the time of their deaths.

They will also send on a skeletal element from each of the remains to FSI, who will compare DNA samples it has received with the ones collected by ODAIT and attempt to match up the remains to the family.