The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation recommended the dig to determine the true number of remains which lie in its Angels Plot.
The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was established in 2015, following revelations that there were around 800 children believed to be buried in a former septic tank on the grounds of the Tuam mother and baby home.
It’s thought that those in Roscrea are buried in consecrated land.
Death certs for 269 children whom are believed to have died in Sean Ross Abbey during its years of operation have been tracked down, however campaigners have raised concerns that the figures could be much higher.
The excavation work, which got underway on Monday, will involve the examination of some of the remains in labs to determine their ages and what years they died in.
The mother and baby home operated for around 40 years between 1930 and 70, and was run by the same order that ran the Bessborough and Manor House mother and baby homes.
The dig is expected to take 3 to 4 weeks.
