Close Menu
    What's Hot

    ‘What are they supposed to do? Not go for it?’ – Cleary criticises mark rule after defeat to Kerry

    May 31, 2025

    Talented Glen performer Ella Terry Sweeney earns prestigious award nomination

    May 31, 2025

    Woman, 74, named as victim of two-vehicle collision in Donegal

    May 31, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • ‘What are they supposed to do? Not go for it?’ – Cleary criticises mark rule after defeat to Kerry
    • Talented Glen performer Ella Terry Sweeney earns prestigious award nomination
    • Woman, 74, named as victim of two-vehicle collision in Donegal
    • Kerry blow Cork away with impressive second half display
    • Tuam babies’ burial site to be sealed off as mass grave exhumation begins in June
    • Two killed as small plane crashes into house in Germany
    • Hamas responds to US-led Gaza deal with offer to release 10 hostages
    • Donegal trio raises ‘pawsitively’ life-changing sum for guide dogs!
    • Demos
    • Politics
    • Money
    • Buy Now
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Local Europe NewsLocal Europe News
    Subscribe
    Saturday, May 31
    • Home
    • Features
      • Typography
      • Contact
      • View All On Demos
    • Sports

      ‘What are they supposed to do? Not go for it?’ – Cleary criticises mark rule after defeat to Kerry

      May 31, 2025

      Kerry blow Cork away with impressive second half display

      May 31, 2025

      Alex Dunne produces stunning Formula 2 drive in Barcelona to regain championship lead

      May 31, 2025

      Fintan McCarthy and Konan Pazzaia win bronze for Ireland at European Rowing Championships

      May 31, 2025

      Mayo hurler David Kenny happy to focus on first love 

      May 31, 2025
    • Typography
    • Sports
      1. Politics
      2. Money
      3. View All

      Talented Glen performer Ella Terry Sweeney earns prestigious award nomination

      May 31, 2025

      Two killed as small plane crashes into house in Germany

      May 31, 2025

      Hamas responds to US-led Gaza deal with offer to release 10 hostages

      May 31, 2025

      Donegal trio raises ‘pawsitively’ life-changing sum for guide dogs!

      May 31, 2025

      ‘What are they supposed to do? Not go for it?’ – Cleary criticises mark rule after defeat to Kerry

      May 31, 2025

      Kerry blow Cork away with impressive second half display

      May 31, 2025

      Alex Dunne produces stunning Formula 2 drive in Barcelona to regain championship lead

      May 31, 2025

      Fintan McCarthy and Konan Pazzaia win bronze for Ireland at European Rowing Championships

      May 31, 2025
    • Buy Now
    Local Europe NewsLocal Europe News
    Home»Top News Stories

    Tuam babies’ burial site to be sealed off as mass grave exhumation begins in June

    LEN EditorBy LEN EditorMay 31, 2025Updated:May 31, 2025 Top News Stories No Comments4 Mins Read
    Tuam babies' burial site to be sealed off as mass grave exhumation begins in June

    This is the site of the mass grave at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home, Tuam, County Galway. File picture: Padraig O'Reilly

    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The entire burial site of the Tuam babies will be forensically sealed off and monitored around the clock, as specialist teams prepare for Ireland’s first exhumation of a mass grave next month.

    In an email sent Friday evening to the Tuam Babies Family Group, which includes many relatives of those buried at the site, the Director of the Intervention said his team is “still on track to begin the excavation of the site in the second half of June” — although a start date has not yet been confirmed.

    Daniel MacSweeney who was appointed to oversee the exhumation two years ago, explained that “Once works start, the entire site will be forensically sealed. We will erect 2.4-meter hoarding and put in place 24-hour security monitoring”.

    He continued “It is expected that the works on the site may take up to 24 months to complete.

    “During this time, the Memorial Garden will not be accessible. If you would like to visit the Memorial Garden, you should try to do so before mid-June.”

    The exhumation follows 11 years of public pressure after local historian Catherine Corless uncovered the names of 796 children believed to be buried on the grounds of the former mother and baby home.

    The institution, which primarily housed unmarried mothers, was run by the Bons Secours nuns on behalf of Galway County Council.

    It operated between 1925 and 1961. After the nuns sold the land and left Tuam, the children who died there were left buried on the property.

    A test excavation carried out in October 2016 and January 2017 revealed a “significant quantity of human remains” — belonging to babies aged between 35 foetal weeks and 2 to 3 years.

    The remains were found dumped in 18 of 20 chambers of a disused sewage tank. This discovery sparked international outrage and was reported across major global news outlets.

    Tuam Mother and Baby home survivor Carmel Larkin, aged 70 attends to flowers left at the Virgin Mary shrine as a vigil is held at the Tuam Mother and Baby home mass burial site on August 25, 2019 in Tuam, Ireland. Picture: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

    The intervention has come after more than a decade of campaigning from families of children who died there as well as Ms Corless.

    Mr MacSweeney told families and survivors: “I am writing to update you, the people most impacted by the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, about the intervention.”

    He said this is “the first step towards restoring dignity in death to those inappropriately buried at the site. We will confirm the exact date very soon.”

    Family members of the children who died in Tuam as well as survivors will be invited to the first perimeter of the forensically sealed site on July 8.

    Mr MacSweeney explained that “additional dates will be added if needs be.”

    A family liaison officer, Paula Kennedy has been appointed to support families with details for the visits.

    He continued: “I also want to let you know that we have begun further engagement with the Tuam Community and in particular the residents near the estate adjoining the Memorial Garden.

    “We will host an information evening on 6th June. Most residents have received further information relating to the site works and the Information Evening.”

    Anna Corrigan, who was at the heart of the original exposure of the Tuam babies’ burial scandal alongside Catherine Corless, said: “It is almost surreal that this is happening. It is a day we thought would never arrive — and now it’s happening next month.

    “It is a small light at the end of the tunnel, I hope we find all of the children and that the mothers and my own mother included, Bridget Dolan, will be given some form of justice for what was perpetrated on them and the children will have some dignity in death.

    “We still have to wait to see what is uncovered and how many children will be found, how many will be identified, or will we be left with lingering questions when this is all over.”

    Further information can be found on www.odait.ie.

    News Source : Irish Examiner

    babies begins burial exhumation grave June mass sealed site Tuam
    LEN Editor
    • Website

    Keep Reading

    Keys to the Kingdom at €650k developer’s former home in Caherdaniel

    How to make loaded nachos or cod goujons for a casual family dinner

    Touch of magic at €825k coastal West Cork home with a fairy fort at its back

    Ireland come from behind in Turkey to clinch battling win

    Family of jockey Michael O’Sullivan to raise funds for charity in Cork city marathon

    ‘Disappointment’ as Cork football clubs denied stand tickets for hurlers’ Munster final

    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Editors Picks
    Latest Posts

    Subscribe to News

    Get the latest sports news from NewsSite about world, sports and politics.

    Advertisement
    Demo
    Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest Vimeo WhatsApp TikTok Instagram

    News

    • World
    • US Politics
    • EU Politics
    • Business
    • Opinions
    • Connections
    • Science

    Company

    • Information
    • Advertising
    • Classified Ads
    • Contact Info
    • Do Not Sell Data
    • GDPR Policy
    • Media Kits

    Services

    • Subscriptions
    • Customer Support
    • Bulk Packages
    • Newsletters
    • Sponsored News
    • Work With Us

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    © 2025 Local Europe News
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • Accessibility

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.