Offaly Councillor welcomes work plan for local cemetery

OVER the past number of weeks, Cllr John Clendennen has been liaising with Offaly County Council to determine a programme of works at Kinnitty graveyard over the summer months.

A work plan has been agreed, with the majority of works expected to be completed by Offaly County Council in advance of Cemetery Mass scheduled for the first week of August. A final cut of grass will also be carried out at the end of the growing season.

“I met with a number of officials from Offaly County Council in recent weeks to agree a plan to improve the current presentation of the graveyard, it is important that maintenance works commence at all respective cemeteries earlier in the year rather than looking unsightly following a month of 'no mow May', it is also important that a policy is devised to clarify voluntary input to carrying out enhancement works”, stated Cllr Clendennen.

The agreed works at Kinnitty Cemetery include resurfacing the pathways with quarry dust, mowing the long grass skirting the boundary wall, mowing the edge of pathways, removing refuse and waste, and erecting interpretive signage highlighting biodiversity and scheduled engagement during Heritage Week to inform people of the different wildflower species that can be found in the cemetery.

Separately, but also cemetery related, Cllr Clendennen has welcomed the cutting of grass verges from Syngefield roundabout to Clonoghill graveyard in Birr and has requested Offaly County Council to address the current state of the toilet facility at the graveyard. “I have received several complaints from members of the public regarding the current state of the toilet facilities at Clonoghill cemetery. I appreciate budgets are restrictive, but it is important that such facilities are maintained to an acceptable and safe standard,” according to Cllr Clendennen.