Relatives like Annette McKay hope the excavation will provide answers and dignity for the children. McKay’s mother gave birth to a daughter at the home after being raped as a teenager; the child died at six months old, and her mother was cruelly told, “the child of your sin is dead.” In 2021, the Irish government issued a formal apology after an inquiry found around 9,000 children died in similar institutions.

The Sisters of Bon Secours admitted the children were buried in a “disrespectful and unacceptable way” and offered compensation. As forensic teams begin excavation, the community seeks closure and justice for the vulnerable children and mothers whose suffering was long hidden. Catherine Corless remains haunted by how an institution meant to care for the vulnerable could allow such neglect and cruelty.