Irish authorities have begun excavation at a site in Tuam, County Galway, believed to hold the remains of nearly 800 babies who died at a Catholic-run home for unmarried mothers. The site, now surrounded by modern apartments, was once the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home, operated by Catholic nuns from 1925 to 1961.
The home took in thousands of young women—many victims of rape or sexual abuse—who became pregnant outside marriage. After giving birth, they were often forced to give up their babies and continue unpaid work in the institution. Many children died from preventable diseases such as gastroenteritis and respiratory infections.
The shocking case was uncovered in 2014 by local historian Catherine Corless, who found death certificates for 798 children but burial records for only one. Her work led to a government investigation, revealing that many of the babies were buried in what was once a septic tank on the property.
“This is not just about history—it’s about human dignity,” Corless told Sky News.
The current excavation aims to recover and identify the remains, and to give the babies proper burials. The process is expected to take up to two years.
Annette McKay, who now lives in the UK, believes her sister is among the 796 children. Her mother, Margaret O’Connor, was just 17 when she was raped and later gave birth at the home. Her baby, Mary Margaret, died at six months.
“She was hanging out washing when a nun came up and said, ‘The child of your sin is dead,’” Annette recalled.
The Bon Secours Home was one of many such institutions across Ireland. Women who became pregnant again were often sent to the Magdalene Laundries, where they were also subjected to forced labour. Though the laundries were originally meant for sex workers, they later began housing victims of rape and incest, orphans, and abandoned girls.
The last of these laundries only closed in the 1990s. A 2021 government inquiry revealed that 9,000 children died in 18 similar homes.
In 2014, the Irish government formally apologized to survivors. A compensation program launched in 2022 has already paid over \$32 million to more than 800 people affected by these institutions.
Now, with the ground finally being opened in Tuam, many hope that decades of silence, shame, and suffering will be replaced with truth and justice.