In October 2016 test excavations began at the site of the former St. Mary’s Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Ireland, where local historian Catherine Corless had earlier uncovered evidence of a mass grave containing the remains of hundreds of children who had lived there between 1925 and 1961. The Irish government later confirmed that the site contained “significant quantities of human remains” belonging to infants and toddlers, based on the findings of the test excavations. Moreover, the remains were found in a series of underground chambers within a structure built inside a decommissioned septic tank, although it was not clear whether the structure had ever been used in that way.
The full excavation process began in July 2025 and was expected to take at least two years. As of July 2026—one year into the excavation—the remains of 99 children had been found at the site.