More infant remains uncovered at former mother-and-baby home
Experts who are carrying out the dig at Tuam in County Galway have published their latest regular update.
More infant remains found at former mother-and-baby home
The team excavating the site of a former mother-and-baby institution in County Galway has uncovered the remains of another 10 children.
The latest update in the ongoing search in Tuam brings the total number of infant remains found to 109.
The mother-and-baby institution operated from 1925 until 1961.
It drew international attention in 2014 after local researcher Catherine Corless found 796 death certificates for children and babies who were in the institution, but no burial records.
The excavation started in July 2025, and the latest update covers an 11-week period up to 30 September this year.
The 10 sets of remains recovered during that time were found in an area in the south-west of the site.
The team has also continued to uncover historical artefacts at the site.
All 109 bodies found so far during the excavation were in coffins.
To support the ongoing work, the team has put up a new modular tent that can be expanded or reduced in size.
The new shelter covers a larger overall area than two smaller tents that have now been taken down.
The dig is being carried out by an agency called the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT).
It is also gathering DNA samples from relatives to help identify the bodies found.
A metal window latch was found by the ODAIT team.
ODAIT said it has collected 12 new samples, bringing the total to 74.
Legislation is being amended to allow first cousins to provide samples.
ODAIT said the bill was expected to be published in the coming days.
In recent weeks, the team’s finds have included buttons and a metal window latch.
Full excavation has not yet started in the area of a memorial garden, where investigators found "significant quantities" of remains in underground chambers in 2017.
The institution at Tuam was owned by Galway County Council and run by a religious order, the Bon Secours Sisters.
The order has previously acknowledged that children and infants were "buried in a disrespectful and unacceptable way", and apologised.
It contributed £2.14m towards the cost of the excavation.
Galway County Council also apologised for "failing mothers and children" after the inquiry report in 2021.