Tuam Excavation Uncovers 22 More Infant Remains, Total Reaches 99

A forensic excavation at the former St Mary’s Mother and Baby Home site in Tuam, County Galway, has recovered the remains of 22 infants buried in coffins, bringing the total number of infant remains recovered from the site to 99, according to the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT).

The remains were discovered in a newly excavated area that had previously been covered with bitumen and gravel and used as a vehicle access route, with no visible markers indicating the presence of burials, ODAIT said in its Technical Update 8 covering the period from June 1 to July 15, 2026.

ODAIT said the findings were consistent with the area being part of a burial ground dating to the period when the Mother and Baby Institution operated between 1925 and 1961.

“The evidence ODAIT has recovered is consistent with this area being part of a burial ground from the time of the operation of the Mother and Baby Institution,” the update said.

Forensic Recovery And Identification Process

The latest recovery brings the total number of infant remains recovered at the site to 99. Earlier excavations recovered the remains of 77 infants from another area of the site, according to previous ODAIT updates.

The forensic excavation began on July 14, 2025, under Ireland’s Institutional Burials Act 2022, legislation introduced to provide a legal framework for the recovery, examination and identification of remains from former institutional burial sites.

During the latest phase, forensic teams began hand excavation under a specialised forensic tent and recovered 22 coffined infants. ODAIT also completed excavation of a subterranean chamber, where disarticulated remains from at least one infant were recovered.

The identification programme has so far collected 62 DNA reference samples, including seven additional samples gathered during the latest reporting period. ODAIT said it continues to work with families seeking information about relatives who may have been buried at the site.

The organisation has encouraged people who believe they may have a family member buried at the former institution to contact its office.

New Forensic Facility Supports Identification Work

ODAIT has also begun forensic analysis at its new Forensic Facility and Mortuary in Toghermore, following refurbishment work carried out by Ireland’s Office of Public Works.

The facility, which involved an investment of around €4.1 million, will support detailed examination of recovered remains, including radiology and three-dimensional scanning.

ODAIT said the process aims to help reconstruct details about the individuals and potentially connect recovered remains with names through family DNA matching.

A Symbol Of Ireland’s Institutional Abuse Scandal

St Mary’s Mother and Baby Home operated in Tuam from 1925 to 1961 and became one of the most prominent examples of Ireland’s long-running reckoning with the treatment of unmarried mothers and their children in state-linked institutions.

The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes confirmed in 2017 that human remains had been discovered at the site. Its final report, published in 2021, examined the wider system of mother and baby homes and led to further government action.

Ireland later introduced legislation to allow forensic recovery at sites such as Tuam and issued a state apology to survivors, alongside measures aimed at addressing their concerns.