Burial pit nuns didn’t retain records

NUNS in charge of an institute for single mothers where the burial of hundreds of babies in a septic tank has been uncovered have said they no longer hold records from the home.

Religious order Sisters of Bon Secours, which operated the Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Co Galway, said it was shocked and deeply saddened by reports of the burial of almost 800 dead infants from 1925 to 1961.

It was one of 10 similar homes across Ireland — three others which have ‘ little angels’ plots are believed to hold the remains of another 3,200 babies and infants.

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has called for the religious orders which ran these institutes to release full details of all the people they took in.

In a statement, Bons Secours said it handed its records to the State after it closed its doors. Corless, the historian who identified the extent of the burials, and the Tuam graveyard committee, which is seeking a permanent memorial at the site.

Amid growing national and international disgust at the details from the town, the archbishop said the practice of the mass burials was sickening.

“The Gospel message is that authentic faith is measured by how we treat children, who represent Jesus Christ,” he said. “Every effort should be made by all parties who were involved in setting up, running and overseeing these homes to ensure the mothers and children who were sent there have an accurate account as possible of their own life stories.”

All that remains of the site is a grassy area on the edge of a housing estate near where the home stood and where the concrete septic tank is understood to lie.

There are suggestions that the site be declared a crime scene.

Children's Minister Charlie Flanagan said the practice in Tuam is almost too graphic and horrible to believe.

“It is fully recognised by me and my Government colleagues that we need to establish the truth,” he said.

The Government review of mother and baby homes will not be restricted to Tuam and includes officials in departments of children, justice, health, education and environment.