Preparatory work begins ahead of mass grave excavation at mother and baby home
Pre-excavation work on the site of a notorious former mother and baby home in Tuam in Co Galway has begun.
The preparatory phase, which will last around four weeks, comes ahead of the full-scale excavation of the site to try to identify the remains of infants who died at the home between 1925 and 1961.
Advertisement
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.
Historian Catherine Corless. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.
The St Mary's home for unmarried mothers and their children was run by the Bon Secours Sisters, a religious order of Catholic nuns.
In 2021, Taoiseach Micheál Martin delivered an apology on behalf of the state for the treatment of women and children who were housed in mother and baby homes across Ireland.
The Bon Secours Sisters also offered a 'profound apology' after acknowledging the order had 'failed to protect the inherent dignity' of women and children in the Tuam home.
Advertisement
The work at the burial site, which is being undertaken by the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT), will involve exhumation, analysis, identification if possible, and re-interment of the remains at the site.
The pre-excavation work includes the installation of a 2.4-metre hoarding around the perimeter.
The site of the Tuam mother and baby home. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.
The site will now be subject to security monitoring on a 24-hour basis to ensure the forensic integrity of the site during the excavation.
Ireland
Weather: Met Éireann predicts warm week ahead with...
Read More
The excavation is anticipated to last two years.
Advertisement
Ahead of the preparatory work, Daniel MacSweeney, who leads the ODAIT, described the planned excavation as 'unique and incredibly complex'.
One of Mr MacSweeney's main responsibilities will be to ensure any remains that are uncovered are re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
9 hours ago
- Times
Pick up this country pile next door to Europe's top resort hotel
Built in 1906 as a rectory for the Ballyfin Demesne church and originally known as The Vicarage, Rosnashane House is a charming detached red-brick with just over 7.5 acres of land that includes mature landscaped gardens, a coach house, stables and paddocks, and even a tennis court. The house is packed with Edwardian features, including canted bay windows with gables above them at the front and the side, cast iron downpipes, and a tiled open porch leading to the front door and, on the inside, fine plasterwork, fireplaces, window shutters and a gorgeous timber staircase. Its 192 sq m of accommodation includes two nicely proportioned and dual-aspect reception rooms, each with a bay window and a fireplace. The kitchen has duck egg blue-painted cabinetry with integrated appliances and, like most of the larger rooms in this house, is dual aspect — in this case a pair of sash windows overlook the front garden with a third facing a courtyard at the side.
BreakingNews.ie
12 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Watch: Howth coast guard carries out rescues after teen falls from cliff
The volunteer crew of Howth RNLI launched their inshore lifeboat on Thursday afternoon after reports of three children cut off by the tide near Lion's Head – a popular swimming spot on the south side of the Howth peninsula, close to the Bailey Lighthouse. The lifeboat launched with three crew on board and made way to the scene. The Howth Coast Guard Unit and Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 116, were also tasked. Advertisement The lifeboat arrived at the scene around 10 minutes later where the Howth Coast Guard cliff team had located two teenagers stranded on the cliff. Rescue 116 also arrived to provide assistance. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Dublin, who were coordinating the rescue requested the lifeboat to remain on standby while efforts were made to recover one of the injured teenagers. While on scene, the lifeboat was diverted by MRCC Dublin to a second emergency nearby: a teenager had fallen from cliffs at White Water Brook, a remote beach below cliffs on the eastern side of the peninsula. Video: Howth RNLI Advertisement The lifeboat crew arrived within five minutes and were directed by beachgoers to the casualty, who had fallen approximately six metres onto rocks at the water's edge. He had sustained multiple lacerations and suspected fractures. A second teenager had swum to assist him and was holding him steady on a rock when help arrived. The helm of the ILB manoeuvred the lifeboat as close to the location and possible and two lifeboat crew members were put ashore. The crew made their way across rocks to assess the injured teen. A member of the Howth Coast Guard team also climbed down to the scene. The Howth All-Weather lifeboat was launched to provide further assistance. Due to the swiftly rising tide, it was agreed that the casualty needed immediate evacuation by helicopter. Rescue 116 deployed its winchman, who assessed the teen's injuries, and coordinated with RNLI and Coast Guard crews to secure him in a rescue harness. The helicopter then repositioned over the scene and winched the casualty and winchman to safety. Advertisement The second teenager, showing signs of hypothermia, was assisted across the rocks and brought aboard the inshore lifeboat. He was then transferred to the all-weather lifeboat and taken back to Howth Lifeboat Station, where he was handed into the care of an ambulance crew and transported to hospital. Both lifeboats were stood down, refuelled, and made ready for service once again. Speaking after the callout, Helm of the inshore lifeboat, Killian O'Reilly, said: Advertisement 'This was a challenging afternoon with two serious incidents in quick succession, both in difficult, rocky locations. On a sunny summer's day, it's easy to underestimate the risks around the coastline – but the sea and cliffs can be unforgiving. "The teamwork shown between the RNLI, Coast Guard units, and Rescue 116 was exceptional and ensured the best possible outcome in tough circumstances. "During this spell of hot weather, we are urging everyone to be aware of the dangers and to know what to do should you find yourself in difficulty in the water. Air temperatures may feel warm, but water temperatures are cold enough year-round to trigger cold-water shock. "If you get into difficulty, remember Float to Live: tilt your head back, with your ears submerged. Relax and try to breathe normally. Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat. Once you've regained control of your breathing, you can call for help of swim to safety. "If you or someone else gets into difficulty near the coast, don't hesitate – call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.'
The Sun
16 hours ago
- The Sun
Why playing EuroMillions now gives you the best chance of winning £14m jackpot
PLAYING the EuroMillions tonight gives you the best chance of bagging the £14million jackpot. A Lucky Irish ticket holder won the biggest ever prize of £208million this week and the jackpot has now reset. But it means those playing tonight have the best chance of winning the entire jackpot. This is because less people are likely to play because it's not a mega jackpot and that means any winnings could be split between a smaller group. A spokesperson for Allwyn, which runs the National Lottery, explained: "EuroMillions is designed to be a huge, rolling jackpot game. "So, we always have more people enter as the jackpot rises and excitement grows. "We also see more syndicates and groups playing the game as the jackpot climbs. "However, every draw, the odds of winning the jackpot remain the same no matter what the jackpot amount. "You could possibly argue that, if fewer people play, then you are potentially less likely to share the jackpot with other winners." The spokesperson added that, ultimately, any lottery is a game of chance and anything can happen, especially depending on what numbers are drawn and based on number combinations. Of course, always remember to only gamble with money you can afford to lose, and set a spending limit before you play. Visit or if you need help. If you do win the EuroMillions tonight, any prize must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date. Biggest ever EuroMillions jackpot A record £208million EuroMillions prize was scooped earlier this week, leaving the winner with an eye-watering pot of cash. The National Lottery EuroMillions winning numbers were: 13, 22, 23, 44, 49 and the Lucky Stars are: 03, 05. While one lucky person in Ireland won the jackpot, dozens of Brits also scooped prizes. There were three players who matched five numbers and one lucky star who will win a whopping £6.3m each. While 16 Brits won £16,119.10 by matching the five main numbers.
