4 June 2014
Last updated at 14:03 ET
The remains were interred in a concrete septic tank in the grounds of the home in Tuam, County Galway.
The children, aged between two days and nine years, died between 1925 and 1961.
The grave was found nearly 40 years ago, but the remains were initially believed to be from the 1850s famine.
However, local historian Catherine Corless found that the register of deaths and burials in the town did not match.
"I went to the births, deaths, marriages registration office in Galway and I asked them would they have records of the children who died at the home," she told the BBC.
"When she came back to me, she said, 'We have the records... but there's quite a number.'"
"I was staggered and I was shocked because there's a total number of 796 babies, children and toddlers buried in one mass grave there on that site."
Funds are now being raised to erect a permanent memorial to the dead children.
'Shocking revelations'
Ireland considers inquiry into children's mass grave
The unmarked grave is in the grounds of a home which was run by the Catholic Church
The
Irish government is considering an inquiry after the remains of nearly
800 children were discovered in an unmarked grave at a former home for
unmarried mothers run by the Catholic Church.
The children, aged between two days and nine years, died between 1925 and 1961.
The grave was found nearly 40 years ago, but the remains were initially believed to be from the 1850s famine.
However, local historian Catherine Corless found that the register of deaths and burials in the town did not match.
"I went to the births, deaths, marriages registration office in Galway and I asked them would they have records of the children who died at the home," she told the BBC.
"When she came back to me, she said, 'We have the records... but there's quite a number.'"
"I was staggered and I was shocked because there's a total number of 796 babies, children and toddlers buried in one mass grave there on that site."
Funds are now being raised to erect a permanent memorial to the dead children.
'Shocking revelations'
Ireland's Catholic Church has recently been affected by a
series of allegations of abuse and neglect of children who were in its
care.
"Many of the revelations are deeply disturbing and a shocking
reminder of a darker past in Ireland when our children were not
cherished as they should have been," said Children's Minister Charlie
Flanagan.
"I am particularly mindful of the relatives of those involved and of local communities."
The Tuam home was one of 10 institutions in which about 35,000 unmarried pregnant women - so-called fallen women - are thought to have been sent.
The children of these women were denied baptism and segregated from others at school. If they died at such facilities, they were also denied a Christian burial.
County Galway death records showed that most of the children buried in the unmarked grave had died of sickness or disease.
People initially thought the grave was for remains of famine victims
"I am particularly mindful of the relatives of those involved and of local communities."
The Tuam home was one of 10 institutions in which about 35,000 unmarried pregnant women - so-called fallen women - are thought to have been sent.
The children of these women were denied baptism and segregated from others at school. If they died at such facilities, they were also denied a Christian burial.
County Galway death records showed that most of the children buried in the unmarked grave had died of sickness or disease.
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