Bodies of 800 Babies Found in Septic Tank in Ireland

The bodies of 800 babies have been discovered buried in a septic tank in Ireland.

The grisly discovery was made at at a home for unwed mothers in Yuam, located in Galway County. Saint Mary’s Mother and Baby Home was operated by Bon Secours nuns between the years 1925 and 1961.

Examination of the bodies show most of the children died of disease and malnutrition.
Others perished from diseases such as measles, pneumonia, and tuberculous. The dead children were buried in simple shrouds, with no coffin or tombstone to mark their final resting place.

Today, the mass grave is surrounded by the a housing unit. Due to the nature of the discovery, authorities may order the site to be exhumed.

A source close to the investigation said, “God knows who else is in the grave. It’s been lying there for years and no one knows the full extent or total of bodies down there.”

A report from a local health board in 1944 states the facility was housing 271 babies, along with 66 mothers. Those 333 residents were well over the capacity of the home, which was 243. The report states most babies there were emaciated and not thriving.

A relative of one of the babies found in the septic system, William Joseph Dolan, has already filed a complaint with police. That relative has chosen not to be identified.

Local historian Catherine Corless was the first to recognize the former home for unwed mothers as a grave site. The revelation came during her research into deaths of babies at the facility.

Teresa Kelly, head of the Children’s Home Graveyard Committee, said, “It’s a mass grave. Many of the babies were malnourished. We want to make sure those children’s identities are acknowledged. They had names, they were human beings, not animals.”