Historian Catherine Corless, whose tireless research exposed the tragic burial practices at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home, has welcomed the long-awaited announcement of the site’s excavation. Speaking emotionally, she described the upcoming works as “wonderful news” and a momentous step for survivors and grieving families who’ve waited over a decade for justice.
Corless’s 2014 research uncovered a startling fact: 796 children died at the institution over 36 years, yet no burial records existed. Further investigation revealed their remains had been discarded in a disused sewage system beneath the site. Her findings led to national and international outcry, eventually resulting in a formal state investigation and the establishment of an agency to oversee the exhumation.
She commended the Director of Authorised Intervention, Daniel MacSweeney, expressing confidence that the excavation would be handled with care and respect. Despite her relief, Corless acknowledged lingering concerns about illegal adoptions, falsified death certificates, and the potential that not all the children may be recovered.
Reflecting on years of governmental resistance, she said she was proud to have stood firm, refusing to accept a mere memorial. “This is justice,” she concluded. “I had to speak for the babies. No one else would.”