Excavations of a mass grave with the remains of nearly 800 children have begun in Ireland

In Ireland, a large-scale exhumation of children's remains from unmarked graves at monastery orphanages begins

In the western Irish town of Tuam, unprecedented excavations of unmarked graves have begun, where decades ago nuns buried newborn children taken from unmarried mothers.

A shocking burial site with approximately 800 infant bodies was discovered on the grounds of a former "mother and baby home" operated by the "Bon Secour" monastic order. According to available data, the nuns provided shelter to unmarried pregnant women and young mothers, but subsequently separated them from their children.

The tragic discovery in Tuam was made possible thanks to the meticulous work of a local historian who gathered numerous testimonies about the cruel treatment of children in orphanages. When infants died, they were buried without names and without any records. The child mortality rate in such institutions reached a horrifying 15%.

The last Catholic homes for illegitimate children ceased operations in Ireland only in 1998. According to estimates, throughout their existence, about 9,000 infants died there, with the burial site in Tuam considered the largest discovered.

The extensive work of exhumation, thorough analysis, and possible identification of remains may last up to two years. Experts from other countries will join Irish specialists. Representatives of local authorities have assured the public that all discovered children's remains will be reburied with dignity.