Tests to Determine Era of Recovered Tuam Infant Remains
Excavation work at the site of the former mother-and-baby home in Tuam, County Galway, has led to the recovery of infant remains. Experts have not yet confirmed whether the bones belong to the period when the institution was in operation, between 1925 and 1961.
Radiocarbon Dating Underway
Radiocarbon analysis is being conducted to identify the era of origin for seven sets of remains recently recovered from part of the site. The process is expected to take several months.
Additional Findings and Site History
The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention in Tuam (ODAIT) reported that two more sets of remains were found elsewhere on the grounds in the past month. These are believed to date from the period when the site functioned as a workhouse, from the mid-19th to the early 20th century.
“The multiple uses of the site over the last 200 years will make the excavation particularly complex,” the ODAIT noted.
Over its history, the area served as a workhouse, a military barracks, and later as a mother-and-baby home. The recently recovered remains were uncovered near an underground vaulted structure shown on historical workhouse plans, separate from other chambers where significant quantities of human remains have already been found but not yet exhumed.
Archaeologists have divided the Tuam site into sections to carry out a systematic and detailed investigation.
Author’s Summary
The ongoing Tuam excavation continues to reveal infant remains from multiple historical periods, highlighting the complex legacy of a site that once served varied and tragic roles.