The works are to begin in the coming weeks in preparation for the exhumations of these precious missing children and babies.
On Sunday, September 15, a small relay of walkers will carry a lantern from Jack’s Old Cottage in Islandeady, near Castlebar, from 7am and will travel approximately 62 kilometres to arrive in Tuam for about 7.30pm where it will be reverently placed at the babies’ remembrance site.
Catherine Corless, the Tuam local historian, was the first to uncover the shocking fact that 796 babies are still missing at the Tuam site and that some of them were interred in a site for a septic tank.
One of the main organisers said “We would never have known about these beautiful missing children without the tireless efforts of Catherine Corless and we would not have had a commission of enquiry into Mother and Baby homes without her work. This walk is also to show appreciation and recognition to Catherine and her family.
“This will be our first year to read all 796 children and babies’ names at the site in Tuam. If anyone wishes to join us in this dignified memorial to pay tribute to the children, we hope to arrive in Tuam between 7-8pm Sunday evening on September 15 and please bring a battery operated candle to brighten up the site”
Each year since November 2020, a lantern has been carried for 65km from Islandeady to Tuam by people who walked and cycled until it arrived at the site of the mother and baby institution, where it resides all year.
Over the years, on the marathon route to Tuam each year, families and individuals turned out in large numbers holding candles and glowing lanterns in gestures of support for the remembrance initiative. There has always been such a massive level of support for the event.
Daniel MacSweeney was appointed as Director of Authorised Intervention by the Government in May as the person charged with overseeing the exhumation process at the former mother-and-baby home in Tuam.
He said the nature of the work to be carried out at the burial site in Tuam is such that it will take some time to complete. Research by Catherine Corless found there were no burial records for 796 children who died in the home between 1925 and 1961. Subsequent investigations determined that there were infant remains in 18 chambers on the site. Initial surveys have identified a range of bones from babies and children, up to the age of around six.
Speaking to Galway Bay FM this week, Mr MacSweeney said he was dealing with “an extremely complex situation” both in terms of location, and the work to be carried out there. He said the exhumation and analysis would be done to the highest international forensic standards.
But MacSweeney cautioned that “if there are 796 children, most of whom are under a year old … there could be in excess of 200,000 bones to be found”.
“We need to track and trace each one of them, as we take it out of the ground, so that we can do the identification and the individualisation of remains, to the extent that that is possible.”
After that, efforts will be made to try to ascertain the causes and circumstances of death.
Mr MacSweeney said it was not known what would be found when the exhumation process began.
“Work on the site is due to begin later this month. So it’s time again to remember these little babies, 796 in all,” said Valerie Jennings, one of the organisers of the walk.
“This walk has nothing to do with politics or religion … just in remembrance of the beautiful babies, the precious mothers and the brave survivors.
”Some of the mothers are still alive. They have no idea where their babies are. We need to remember them all – innocent babies and their mothers”.
Those interested in being involved in the walk can contact the organisers by email: alittlelightoflovemayo@gmail.com or through the Facebook page Little Light of Love.