Tests to Determine Era of Recovered Tuam Infant Remains
Infant remains were uncovered at the former mother-and-baby home site in Tuam, Co Galway, during ongoing excavation work. It remains unclear if these bones date from the institution’s operational years, 1925 to 1961.
Dating the Remains
Radiocarbon dating is underway to establish the period of origin for seven sets of remains found recently in part of the site. This process is expected to take several months.
Additional Discoveries
The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention in Tuam (ODAIT) reported that two more sets of remains were discovered in a separate area within the last four weeks. These remains appear to date from when the site functioned as a workhouse in the mid-19th to early 20th century.
Complex History of the Site
The ODAIT previously warned that the site’s varied uses over 200 years complicate the excavation. It has served as a workhouse, military barracks, and mother-and-baby home at different times.
Location of the Remains
The infant skeletal remains were found near an underground vaulted structure shown on workhouse plans, distinct from other underground chambers on the site. In these chambers, substantial human remains have been identified but not yet exhumed.
Site Examination Process
Archaeologists have divided the entire site into sections to carry out a thorough and systematic investigation.
The ODAIT noted, "significant quantities of human remains" have already been located in other underground chambers but remain unexhumed.
Summary: Recovered infant remains at the Tuam site undergo radiocarbon dating amid complex layered histories impacting excavation and interpretation.