Plans to create thousands of additional plots at Cork graveyard

PLANS are in the pipeline to create thousands of additional plots at St Catherine’s Cemetery in Kilcully, a Cork City Council official has revealed.

The council’s director of operations David Joyce has stated that the local authority is presently working on preparing a Part 8 application for an extension to the cemetery which would create approximately 3,500 additional plots.

Mr Joyce revealed details of the plan in a written reply to Independent councillor Ken O’Flynn who had submitted several queries ahead of Monday night’s full council meeting relating to graveyards within Cork City Council’s jurisdiction.

Mr O’Flynn had sought clarity on the number of plots in the pre-extended Cork city area as well as the number of plots transferred from Cork County Council following the boundary extension.

He also asked about the council’s plans to provide additional plots going forward.

It was revealed that as of April 30, 2021, there are 1,711 plots available for purchase in the pre extended Cork city area.

This includes 315 plots at St Catherine’s Cemetery and 1,396 plots at St Michael’s Cemetery in Blackrock.

A total of just under 1,950 plots, immediately available for sale, were transferred from Cork County Council to Cork City Council on the date of the boundary extension.

Of these, 1,848 remain available for sale as of April 30, 2021.

In addition to the plans to expand St Catherine’s Cemetery, Mr Joyce said there are “a number of cemeteries in the transition area” that can cater for additional future demand as they have “significant expansion potential of up to 14,000 new plots which can be developed as and when required”.

Mr Joyce also said the option of an appropriate burial space for urns within existing cemeteries “will be explored in the medium term” which he said will also have an effect on the demand for new plots going forward.

He claimed there is “more than adequate provision across the city in existing graveyards to cater for burial needs going forward”.

He pointed out that annually burials comprise of a mix of burials taking place in newly purchased plots as well as existing plots.

“All of these elements are factored into the determination that there is adequate provision of expansion potential to cater for the communities of the city going forward, even considering the projected 50 percent increase in population over the next 20 years.”