Pat Duffy, a survivor of the St. Mary’s Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Ireland, recently toured a newly established forensic laboratory where specialists will begin analyzing the remains of hundreds of children believed to have died at the institution. The home, which operated from the 1920s until its closure in the 1970s, was one of many facilities run by Catholic clergy and nuns that housed unwed mothers and their children. It is estimated that nearly 800 children died at St. Mary’s, with many buried in unmarked graves or reportedly dumped in nearby sewage tanks.

The excavation of the site, which began in July 2025 following years of advocacy by survivors and family members, is being led by a team of forensic archaeologists. The effort gained momentum after local historian Catherine Corless uncovered records in 2012 indicating the high mortality rate among the children at the home. Previously dismissed, Corless’s findings prompted the Irish government to authorize the excavation of the former site, now a residential area.

During a recent visit to the laboratory, which houses climate-controlled storage and examination tables, Duffy and other survivors met forensic experts who will undertake the detailed work of cleaning, measuring, and assembling skeletal remains. The team includes specialists from multiple countries and backgrounds, many with experience in identifying child and commingled remains. Their objectives are to establish biological profiles of each child—such as age, disease presence, and evidence of trauma—and to contribute to a fuller understanding of their lives and deaths.

A separate team will undertake DNA analysis aimed at matching remains with descendants. To date, about 200 individuals related to those who had ties to St. Mary’s have provided DNA samples in hopes of identifying lost relatives. Two plaques displaying the names of all 796 children are displayed prominently near a family room where findings will be shared with relatives.

The Tuam project has drawn international interest as a possible model for similar investigations elsewhere. In Canada, calls have been made to investigate unmarked graves at the former Misericordia Hospital in Montreal, which operated under Catholic management and served unwed mothers from the 1850s to the 1970s. Advocates note parallels with missing children from Indigenous residential schools in Canada and argue that such forensic work could support truth and reconciliation efforts. Kim Murray, Canada’s former Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites, highlighted failures in the Canadian government’s response and recommended establishing an independent commission of investigations, which has yet to be implemented.

Officials leading the Tuam excavation have engaged with Indigenous groups in Canada to share knowledge and discuss methodologies. The work remains ongoing, with approximately 99 sets of remains recovered so far and several large areas still unexcavated, including the infamous sewage tanks. The full process is expected to take another year or longer.

Survivors like Duffy express a mixture of trauma and cautious hope. Duffy, who spent his first six years at St. Mary’s and has dealt with lifelong psychological struggles, said the recognition of the children’s stories is a long-awaited form of justice. “It could have been me,” he said, reflecting on the project’s significance. While he maintains a personal faith, he distinguishes it from his views of the church, underscoring the complex legacy of these institutions.

As forensic work progresses, the project aims to piece together the histories of the children, providing clarity and closure for families while shining a light on a painful chapter in Ireland’s history.