The Tuam excavation team has recovered 22 more infant remains in coffins on the south‑western edge of the site, raising the total found to 99. The remains are being examined at a new ODAIT mortuary and laboratory in Toghermore using radiology, 3D scanning and other techniques. Sixty‑two people have provided DNA to assist identification. Full excavation of a memorial garden area — where remains were found in 2017 — has yet to begin; work is expected to continue through 2027.
22 More Infant Remains Found at Former Tuam Mother-and-Baby Home — Site Total Now 99
Further infant remains uncovered at former mother-and-baby home
The excavation team working at the former mother-and-baby home in Tuam, County Galway, has recovered a further 22 sets of infant remains, bringing the total discovered at the site to 99.
Latest Discoveries and Where They Were Found
The newly recovered remains were located in coffins on the south‑western edge of the site — an area historical records identify as a burial ground. The update covers about six weeks of excavation activity up to 15 July this year. The wider dig began approximately one year ago.
Examination and Identification Work
The remains are being transferred to a newly equipped mortuary and laboratory in Toghermore, Tuam, prepared by the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT). Specialists will clean, dry and examine the remains and use radiology and 3D scanning as part of a programme aimed at reconstructing details about each individual, including estimated age and sex.
ODAIT said these biological and archaeological details may narrow the number of potential matches with historical records and help link skeletal remains to names. To support identification, 62 people have so far provided DNA samples.
Context and Ongoing Work
The Tuam institution, which cared for unmarried mothers and their children, operated between 1925 and 1961. The site came to worldwide attention in 2014 after historian Catherine Corless documented 796 death certificates for children associated with the home but found no corresponding burial records.
All 99 sets of remains uncovered to date were buried in coffins. Full excavation has not yet begun in the area of the memorial garden, where investigators in 2017 reported finding "significant quantities" of remains within underground chambers. Excavation work is expected to continue through 2027, with follow-up analysis and identification efforts likely to extend for several more years.
Accountability, Apologies and Support for the Work
The Tuam home was owned by Galway County Council and operated by the Bon Secours Sisters. The religious order has acknowledged that children were buried in a "disrespectful and unacceptable way" and has apologised; it has also contributed £2.14m toward the excavation costs. Galway County Council issued an apology following the 2021 inquiry report, describing a failure to support mothers and children.
"Experts will continue careful scientific work to establish identities and circumstances of death, while treating the remains with respect and sensitivity," ODAIT said in its update.
Note on sensitivity: The discoveries involve human remains and ongoing forensic and genealogical work; investigators are working with families and the wider community as they seek identifications and answers.
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