261. The Mother/Baby Home Tuam

The Mother/Baby Home Tuam existed from 1925 to 1961. Like many other homes for teenage girls who became pregnant outside marriage they housed the girls until the babies were born. The mothers then returned home if they were lucky. Otherwise the girls were sent to other asylums where they were kept because they had brought shame over their family due to the pregnancy.

The babies were put up for adoption if they survived the stay. Recent discovery of the remains of 800 bodies belonging to babies might suggest that something awful was wrong with this home. They didn’t take the time to buy a coffin for each of these small humans. They just dropped them down in a concrete tank. Where are the Christianity found in such thinking?

It is safe to say that it was not fun to be a pregnant teenager in such a place.

Sources:

• Mass septic tank grave ‘containing the skeletons of 800 babies’ at site of Irish home for unmarried mothers (The Daily Mail Online)
• Final resting place for 800 Irish babies: Septic tank (USAtoday)

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