Council confirms new burial plots will be facilitated in Limerick cemetery
LIMERICK City and County Council have done a u-turn regarding its policy on a graveyard in Kilmallock.
Earlier this year, councillors branded a response from the council regarding Tankardstown graveyard as “pathetic”, “disgraceful” and “very disrespectful”.
At a Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District meeting, Cllr PJ Carey put down a motion that the council accommodate a request of residents to allow the purchase of burial plots there.
The local authority's response stated that it is its policy “not to permit the sale of new burial plots in ancient cemeteries which are on the record of monuments”.
The council said families with existing burial plots at Tankardstown cemetery can continue to use them subject to the plot not being at full capacity and they would be prepared develop a section for cremated remains only.
Cllr Carey said he would be “ashamed” to go back to the people in Tankardstown and show them this response.
“It is absolutely pathetic. I am really disgusted by ‘cremated remains only’. Some people don’t want to be cremated. It is just not good enough. l am not accepting this response,” said Cllr Carey.
He described the monument as “a wall with a tree growing in the middle of it” and asked if the monuments were so precious, why were they allowed to fall into disrepair?
“The past should not shackle us every time,” said Cllr Carey.
Cllr Mike Donegan said it was a “very disappointing reply”.
“My own grandparents are buried there on my mother’s side and my aunt is buried there. It is very disrespectful to people that have family buried there,” said Cllr Donegan.
In correspondence seen by the Limerick Leader, the council say that they have taken into consideration the concerns of families whose wish is to be buried within their community.
They said they are open, on a once off basis only, to the sale of up to 20 single burial plots subject to its suitability, “but only on the condition that there is unused and/or unallocated space within the designated area with adequate depth of below ground level without meeting solid rock to inter human remains”.
At the most recent Cappamore-Kilmallock meeting, Cllr Carey thanked the council staff for coming out to the graveyard and accommodating him.
“They worked with me and we found a solution. The people in Tankardstown got their 20 graves and people are happy,” said Cllr Carey.