Council to discuss draft byelaws for St Kieran’s Cemetery in Kilkenny after concerns

Draft byelaws on the regulation of burial grounds at St Kieran’s Cemetery will be discussed by members of Kilkenny County Council before going on public consultation later this year.

The byelaws follow concerns raised by councillors over anti-social behaviour in the cemetery in recent months.
Under the proposed byelaws which were outlined to members of the Environment Strategic Policy Committee last Thursday an application form to erect a headstone and kerbing or to replace an existing headstone and kerbing must be submitted to the council. The maximum height of the headstone shall be 1.2 metre, except for Celtic Crosses which can have a maximum height of 2.1 metres.

The proposed byelaws also state that the council shall take down any monument which has been erected contrary to the term and conditions upon which permission to erect same was granted or in the event of it being erected without an official permit from the Council.

Any behaviour of a criminal, immoral, lewd or offensive nature is also prohibited as is the consumption of alcohol and drugs under the proposed byelaws.

Anne Maria Walsh, Senior Executive Officer with Kilkenny County Council told the SPC that there are penalties for contravention of the byelaws including a court prosecution.