60km memorial walk for children who died at Tuam Mother and Baby Home as excavation to begin

A 60km memorial walk will take place on Sunday for the children and babies who died at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home site but have no burial record.

It comes as long awaited and extremely complex excavation works to identify remains buried there are set to begin in the coming weeks.

Relay walkers will travel 62km, carrying lanterns to highlight the 796 missing children and babies.

They’ll start at Jack’s Old Cottage in Islandeady near Castlebar at 7am – and are expected to arrive in Tuam around 7.30pm.

A guard of honour will be formed by the public for local campaigner and historian Catherine Corless, who’ll walk a leg of the relay.

Speaking to Galway Talks, organiser Valerie Jennings said people remember the babies for the right reasons: