Excavation in Tuam reveals bodies of 36 more children

Excavation at the former Tuam mother and baby home in western Ireland has uncovered 36 more infant remains, raising the total found to 69. Authorities continue careful forensic work to identify the children and provide proper burials for their families.

An ongoing forensic excavation at the site of a former mother and baby institution in Tuam, located in western Ireland, has confirmed the recovery of the remains of 36 more infants. This discovery increases the total number of infant remains retrieved from the site to 69.

The investigation is being conducted at the grounds of a former mother and baby home in County Galway. The work was initiated after growing public concern regarding historical burial practices at the location. Attention to the site significantly increased in 2014, when research brought forward evidence that 796 children who died while living at the institution had no corresponding official burial records.

The facility operated between 1925 and 1961 under the administration of the Bon Secours Sisters, a Catholic religious order. During its years of operation, many children residing at the institution died due to illness, including malnutrition and infectious diseases, reflecting the harsh conditions present at the time.

The Bon Secours Sisters later issued an apology acknowledging that burial practices at the site did not meet acceptable standards and that children were interred in a manner described as inappropriate and lacking dignity. Following a preliminary excavation in 2017, which confirmed the presence of a mass unmarked burial area, the Irish authorities ordered a full forensic excavation of the site.

The current excavation phase began in the summer of the previous year and is being carried out with scheduled reporting intervals, providing updates on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. The latest report covers the period from 29 January to 31 March 2026 and confirms the recovery of 36 additional infant remains during this timeframe.

According to the findings, the infants were buried in coffins that have undergone significant deterioration over time. Despite the decay, many coffins remain partially identifiable. Most of the recovered coffins were single-shouldered with metal fittings and painted white. In several cases, investigators found that two or three individuals had been placed within a single coffin.

Experts involved in the excavation noted that while the structural integrity of the burial materials has been heavily affected by long-term degradation, enough physical detail remains in some instances to identify coffin construction characteristics.

The remains are being carefully exhumed with the aim of enabling identification through DNA analysis. The objective of the process is to allow, where possible, the return of identified remains to relatives for proper burial. During the latest reporting period, five additional DNA samples were collected from individuals who believe they may have familial connections to those buried at the site, bringing the total number of submitted DNA samples to 33.

This update marks the sixth official report issued since the excavation project began. The investigative team has continued to request that individuals who suspect a family link to the site come forward to provide information and DNA samples to assist in the identification process.

The excavation continues as part of a structured forensic investigation aimed at documenting and recovering human remains from the site while supporting ongoing identification efforts.

Sources:

• RTÉ News – Additional 36 infant remains recovered at Tuam site
• Irish Independent – Additional 36 infant remains discovered during Tuam Mother and Baby Home excavation
• IrishCentral – 36 additional infant remains recovered from Tuam excavation site
• Tuam dig uncovers remains of another 36 children