Tuam mother and baby home excavation dig discovers 22 more sets of infant remains

Twenty two further sets of infant remains have been found by the excavation team bringing the total number of remains discovered to 99.

The institution for unmarried mothers and their children ran from 1925 until 1961 but became known worldwide after the heroic investigations by Catherine Corless who discovered nearly 800 death certificates for children and babies who died there, but no burial records.

The excavation has been underway for just over a year with the last report showing 22 remains found in coffins in an area near the site which were taken to a new mortuary and laboratory in Toghermore for examination.

The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam will clean, dry and examine these remains.

The agency said: “The goal is reconstructing details of their lives and deaths and possibly ages and genders. These details may narrow the number of possible matching individuals and help to connect a skeletal individual with a name."

Sixty two people have given DNA samples to help identify the remains which have been found so far with more ground set to be examined in due course.

Bon Secours Sisters, who ran the institution, have previously apologised and contributed funds towards the excavation costs.