Excavation of mass graves of unnamed in Ireland begins

• Experts have started the excavation of remains of nearly 800 unnamed individuals in Tuam.
• Historical investigations revealed horrific conditions in the institutions for mothers and children.
• The Irish government is conducting an inquiry into the treatment of mothers in the institutions.

TUAM, Ireland (AP) — On the grounds of a former institution for mothers and children in Ireland, the excavation of mass graves has begun, which may contain the remains of nearly 800 unnamed individuals and small children. This horrific discovery, which is partly located in a former septic tank, has forced Ireland and the Catholic Church to confront the dark chapter of their history.

The site, which has only one remaining stone wall, symbolizes the harshness of a system that separated vulnerable mothers and their children. Although the burials were sporadic, two toddlers were found buried in a small grave, the full extent of the tragedy became known only after a recent investigation into the history of the institution by local historian Catherine Corless.

Corless revealed that the site is located above a septic tank, and that 796 unnamed individuals have no records of burial. Her findings sparked a scandal when international media began to highlight its operation in 2014. Following confirmed tests of the remains of small skeletons in the adjoining reserve, then Minister for Children Edward Kenny referred to it as a "house of horrors."

Pope Francis has since condemned the "criminal" church that included the separation of vulnerable mothers from their children. Sisters from the Bon Secours order have also been criticized for not adhering to their Christian vows.

The institutions for mothers and children were not unique to Ireland; they followed Victorian practices of institutionalization of poor, troubled, and abandoned children and vulnerable mothers. The institution in Tuam was cold, oppressive, and unsafe. Mothers worked there for a year, often without their children.

The Corless report prompted a government inquiry, which found that 9,000 children, or 15%, of the individuals in the institutions for mothers and children in the 20th century. The institution in Tuam, which operated from 1925 to 1961, had the highest mortality rate.

Corless noted that she was forced to uncover this history, as she realized how these poor, unfortunate children, without blame from their side, had to endure such a life.

Her work united survivors from the institutions and children who discovered that their mothers gave birth to them in the same institutions. Participants note that there still exists a prohibition against abuse, incest, and exploitation, which led to the portrayal of women in the institution, at a time when parents did not bear responsibility.

The start of the excavation is an important step in efforts to understand and honor the memory of those who suffered from the horrific system that existed in Ireland for decades.

Tags: Europe/Research