Kilcully Cemetery plaque outlines history

THE history of the Old Cemetery in Kilcully has been permanently transcribed on an information plaque on site.

It comes after the cemetery’s caretaker, Michael Forde, approached the Murphy’s Rock and Bride Valley Support Group Chair, Joan Lewis about installing a plaque at the site.

Speaking to the Echo, Ms Lewis said that Mr Forde had suggested that the history of the cemetery be noted by way of a panel so people could better understand its past.

“We got a historian out, and he was amazed at the history that was there.

“He found out that it was an 11th-century cemetery and that’s how it started,” Ms Lewis said.

The group received funding from Cork City Council to create and erect the panel.

The Lord Mayor of Cork City Cllr Kieran McCarthy recently unveiled the plaque.

“It is interesting that we are seeing residents in rural parts of the city embracing their cultural heritage or saying to the Council ‘hey, we have this heritage, and it is as important as the heritage of the city’, and I think that was one of my takeaways from my time at Kilcully,” Cllr McCarthy said.

He was joined by Kilcully residents as well as local councillors for the area.

Ms Lewis thanked the Lord Mayor and the local councillors for their support.

“We really appreciate that the Lord Mayor came out and gave us some of his time, as well as all the councillors,” she said.