The bodies of as many as 800
children have been found in a mass grave in western Ireland at a
former home for unwed mothers run by nuns between 1925 and 1961,
Irish media reported.
Many of the children died of disease and malnutrition and
their bodies were thrown into a septic tank.
The discovery in Tuam, where nuns from the Bon Secours
order ran the home for pregnant unmarried women, sheds more
light on a dark period in the history of Catholic Ireland, where
pregnancy outside marriage was often treated as one of the worst
possible crimes.
Police are continuing to investigate and media reports say
that the Catholic Church is discussing construction of a
memorial to the children.
Irish Central newspaper quoted local historian Catherine
Corless, who says she recalled growing up the so-called "Home
Babies" who she said were segregated by nuns at school and
treated badly by everyone.
She said that she was moved as an adult to research what
became of the children, and through a regional health board
tracked down the records of the deaths of 796 children at the
home.
The records listed names, birth dates and sometimes
included cause of death for each child.
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