A long-awaited forensic excavation has begun at the former Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Ireland, where nearly 800 babies and young children are believed to be buried. The institution, run by nuns from 1925 to 1961, housed unmarried mothers and their children many of whom died from neglect, malnutrition, and disease.

Historian Catherine Corless uncovered death records for 798 children, with only two confirmed burials in a cemetery. Most of the remains are thought to be buried in a disused sewage tank, locally known as “the pit.” Her research shocked Ireland in 2014, sparking national reflection on the mistreatment of women and children under church care.

One woman, Annette McKay, whose mother gave birth at Tuam after being raped at 17, hopes the excavation will help reunite her mother and sister, Mary Margaret, who died at six months old. Many mothers suffered abuse and were shamed for being victims, while their children were stripped of dignity even in death.

The Irish government issued a formal apology in 2021, acknowledging the trauma caused. As the excavation begins, families and activists hope it brings long-overdue justice and remembrance to the forgotten children of Tuam.