Plans for significant extension to Cork graveyard go to public consultation

Plans for a significant expansion to a city graveyard – which, when complete, will cater to a range of different burial preferences – have gone to public consultation.

The proposals to extend St Catherine's Cemetery in Kilcully, first mooted in 2021, would see the footprint of the existing burial ground increased to provide 2,199 new standard grave burial plots, 880 cremation burial plots and 312 natural burial plots.

St Catherine's currently has approximately 5,200 standard burial plots, with only a limited number of new burial plots remaining.

Cork City Council, in its Part 8 planning report, said the proposed extension “will cater for future demand for the next few decades”.

“The proposed cemetery extension site is situated to the west of the existing cemetery in an agricultural grassland field and will connect the existing St Catherine's Cemetery with the Kilcully Old Church and its small surrounding graveyard,” the report stated.

In relation to the natural burials, the local authority said such burials “are intended to be with environmentally friendly robust coffins such as good quality wicker materials” with a “simple small stone marking of the grave plot”.

“The planting of [a] small sized native Irish tree selected from an approved list of suitable trees will be facilitated as [an] additional marker of the plot.

“No headstones or multiple coffin burials in each plot are proposed,” the council’s report continued.

'Innovative' proposals 

Commenting following the commencement of public consultation, Green Party councillor Oliver Moran described the proposals as “very innovative
and show how death has evolved and how diverse and personal remembering loved ones has become in the city”.

The natural burial ground, he said, would be the first publicly-owned natural burial ground in Ireland.

“A natural wetland will be part of the area too.

“That will allow for a place for reflection for families and visitors, as well as being of its time in being important for climate and biodiversity.

“The natural burial ground will also include a walkway and allow for the planting of trees by families of loved ones.

“In that way, that section of the cemetery along with the wetland, will evolve into a peaceful natural park in time,” he added.

Mr Moran also welcomed the proposed connection with the old church and graveyard in Kilcully.

Also among the proposed works is an expansion of the car park to create 53 additional car parking spaces, inclusive of six disabled car parking spaces.

The provision of a bike shelter to accommodate a minimum of five bicycles is also proposed.

The closing date for submissions on the proposals is December 4 at 4pm. For more information, or to make a submission online, see consult.corkcity.ie/en/.