Define “debunked.”
There are still skeletal remains in that structure known to residents as a septic tank on the grounds of the former Bon Secours home in Tuam.
Irish Ordinance Survey Maps going back to 1840 show this structure repeatedly over the years and call it a septic tank. It fell into disuse in 1938 when a new sewer system came into use.
There are still 796 children who died at that home, from infants to age 9, for whom there is no record of burial.
There was a large cemetery across the road from the home. They’re not in there.
There was a large cemetery across the road from the home. They’re not in there.
****************************
I don’t see anything unusual ... a cemetery would be expensive ... you have the land ,,, you have the gravediggers ,, you have the headstone... even at cost this is taking bread out of the mouths of the living ... the nuns were dirt poor.
As to the deaths I looked at the list ,, looks like I would expect ,, earlier deaths came quicker ... after 1950ish you see more lingering illnesses where the children failed to vanquish a disease but had a better shot at living due to antibiotics...
Maybe it was a septic tank years ago ,,, it wouldn’t be like today where a single piece cement tank is trucked in .. this had to be built on-site ,, probably from brick... as long as it was shoveled out and hosed down before being put to use as a “catacomb” for tiny bodies I’m OK with it ... Once again it’s a money thing ... as long as respect was shown for the dead I just don’t have a problem.
Nope. Look it up. I won’t do your (hateful) homework for you.
Maybe it would be productive for someone to investigate if there are any records of burial for anyone during the time period in question.
Honest question: are there records of burial for most people in the area? What kind of form would these records take (where would they be found?). At the mortuaries in business at the time? Are these mortuaries still in business? Does the (Irish) government keep records of burial?
It honestly doesn’t seem to me to be a public record. I get the impression records of burial are kept by the mortuaries that did the burying (for purposes of billing). So if they aren’t in business anymore such records may be lost, not just for the children in question but everyone for the time period.
I really don’t know. So please don’t castigate me if what I’m saying is stupid.
Irish child mortality rates for the country were higher than at the home, except in Dublin where it was the same.