Laois man must be dead before he can buy a place for his ashes in Portlaoise
Rules for Columbarium Wall like something comedian Tommy Tiernan might say
A Laois man is taken aback that he must be dead before he can buy a space for his ashes to be interred in the Columbarium Wall at Portlaoise Cemetery which has about 70 vacant spaces.
Bernard O'Reilly, aged 75, began 2025 with the intention of 'getting his affairs in order'. This included what he believed would be a straightforward job of booking a place for his ashes in Portlaoise at SS Peter & Paul's Cemetery.
He went to Laois County Council HQ in early January to find out how this could be done. However, there was no staff available on the day. Sometime later he received a call from the council.
"This man rang and told me: 'You have to be dead before you can buy a place'. So I asked him: 'How can I buy it if I'm dead?'. I proceeded to tell him that if Tommy Tiernan said that it would be a great joke," he said.
As to why, Mr O'Reilly says he was told that those were the rules. He was told that the plot could purchase could be organsied through his solicitor or via his will after he dies.
He said he would like the choice of which compartment he would get in the Wall because he would be dead when his ashes are interred.
He subsequently went on local radio where he said there was an unbelievable response to his experience with many people saying that they could not buy a burial plot from the council.
Following his radio appearance he said he received another call from a council official who asked, to his surprise, if he had ashes to place in the Wall. He was surprised that the official had not been told that he was enquiring about his own ashes.
He also contacted all the county councillors by email but just one got back to him. Mr O'Reilly said he met Cllr Aisling Moran how pledged to raise the issue at an upcoming full meeting of Laois County Council.
"In order to facilitate the management of the capacity in burial grounds which are operated by Laois County Council, it has been a long-standing position that plots and niches are allocated following a bereavement.
"This overall policy approach allows for better planning for future needs. In relation to the Columbarium in Portlaoise, the Council is confident of its ability to maintain availability of niches into the future to service individual needs as they arise," he said.
The Columbarium Wall was opened for interments in late November 2022. It costs €1,400 to to buy one of the 80 permanent niches in the wall. The Leinster Express / Laois Live reported that Mr Brennan told a meeting with county councillors in December, 2024 that eight niches have been sold since the wall was erected.