Tuam excavation uncovers five sets of historic, skeletal remains

Five sets of historic, skeletal remains have been uncovered as part of the excavation at the site of the former Mother and Baby Institution in Tuam, Co Galway.

The discovery of human remains was included in a technical update issued by the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT) on Friday, October 3, regarding the reporting period of August 23 to September 24.

ODAIT said on Friday that its expert osteoarchaeologists confirmed that five sets of historic, skeletal human remains consistent with the Workhouse era (1841 to 1918) of the site were recovered from the area shown in orange in the image below.

Further human remains were uncovered at the end of the reporting period, and forensic excavation continues.

ODAIT said that in accordance with agreed provisions, it is cooperating with the National Museum of Ireland, the authority with responsibility for historic human remains.

These human remains are currently undergoing analysis by ODAIT, and more information will be shared once this analysis has progressed.

Concerning the single fragment of dissociated human adult tooth mentioned in the previous technical update on August 29, the ODAIT said on Friday that no other human remains were found during the excavation of that part of the site. No further analysis of this tooth is planned at this time.

Tuam site, photo taken September 19, 2025. Red arrow shows North. (ODAIT)

In its update on Friday, the ODAIT said the excavation has most recently been focused on three locations - the site of a former workhouse yard (outlined in blue in the photo above), a part of the site adjacent to the high stone boundary wall at the eastern side of the site, and a part of the site (outlined in red above) where workhouse plans indicated a possible subterranean vaulted structure.

Machine excavation continued in the site of the former workhouse yard, while hand excavation continued in two (outlined in orange above) of the nine (outlined in yellow above) Test Trenches abutting the 19th-century boundary wall.

Machine excavation began, intended to expose the vaulted structure indicated in plans of the workhouse. Exposure of these potential subterranean voids was necessary to safely excavate to forensic standards the lands adjoining, the ODAIT said.

The excavations have uncovered materials from four main eras in the site’s history: Post-institutional - 1961 onwards; Institutional (the era of the Mother and Baby Institution) - 1925 to 1961; Military - 1918 to 1925; and Workhouse - 1841 to 1918.

The ODAIT said on Friday that in locations where excavations have taken place to date, objects from all of these periods were identified and recovered, as well as objects from earlier ancient and unrelated dates.

"This highlights the complexity of the site," the ODAIT noted.

Notable evidence recovered from the Tuam Site

In addition to the human remains, the ODAIT outlined on Friday the notable evidence recovered from the excavation site during the reporting period of August 23 to September 24.

Structures

In the intramural area southeast of the site of the former workhouse yard, a northeast–southwest orientated concrete pathway was uncovered. It is flanked by features consistent with the foundations of a superstructure that covered or enclosed the pathway. A large, earlier, stone-lined drain was also uncovered crossing the yard on a northeast–southwest axis. 

A stone-lined drain was also uncovered parallel to the high stone boundary wall at the eastern side (yellow outline) of the site.

Excavations at the location (red outline) where workhouse plans indicated a possible underground vaulted structure exposed that underground vaulted structure. It comprises at least three interconnected chambers, the ceilings of which are supported on brick arches. Access is blocked by building debris and the chambers cannot be entered safely. ODAIT is engaging with the main contractor and consulting engineer on how to make this chamber safe to excavate forensically.

ODAIT noted that this is not the multi-chambered tank in the memorial garden, which was located in 2016/17. The memorial garden will be excavated later in this process.

Stone lined drain, uncovered during the reporting period of August 23 to September 24. (ODAIT)

Material evidence

The excavations have recovered numerous objects, including a window frame, personal and medicinal items dating from the institutional era, such as pottery, shoes, spectacles, and glass baby bottle feeders.

Lower layers contained glass bottles, clay pipes, enamelled tableware, and chamber pots of pre-institutional date. 

Window frame, recovered during the reporting period of August 23 to September 24. (ODAIT)

Animal bone

ODAIT said it continues to retrieve large amounts of animal bone, likely from the institution, military, and workhouse kitchens. 

All evidence recovered is being photographed, catalogued, and retained by ODAIT.

About the Tuam Mother and Baby Home in Co Galway

The Tuam Mother and Baby Home was an institution for unmarried mothers and their children. Run by the Bon Secours Sisters, it operated from 1925 to 1961.

In 2014, local amateur historian Catherine Corless was researching the Tuam Home's history when she discovered records showing that 796 children had died at the Home, but burial records could not be found, sparking suspicion of a mass grave at the site.

“Significant quantities” of human remains were discovered at the site in 2016 and 2017.

In January 2021, nearly six years after the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation was launched, the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was published.

Including the Tuam Home, the Commission investigated 18 homes across Ireland, ultimately finding that "a total of about 9,000 children died in the institutions under investigation - about 15% of all the children who were in the institutions."

The report later states: "There is no single explanation for the appalling level of infant mortality in Irish mother and baby homes."

The report says that "a particular catalyst" for the formation of the investigative Commission "was the discovery by Catherine Corless of the possible burial arrangements for children who died in the Tuam Children’s Home."

Following the publication of the report, the Irish Government offered a formal apology to victims, survivors, and their relatives.

In November 2021, the Irish Government published its Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. Part of the plan was a commitment to "advance burials legislation to support the excavation, exhumation and, where possible, identification of remains, and their dignified reburial."

In July 2022, the Institutional Burials Act became law, allowing exhumations to take place at former Mother and Baby Homes across Ireland. The Irish Government established ODAIT as part of the Act that October, and in May 2023, Daniel MacSweeney was tasked with overseeing the excavations of children's remains at the site at Tuam.

Pre-excavation works began at the Tuam site in June 2025, and the excavation commenced on July 14.

The excavations, which are expected to take 24 months to complete, continue.