'The most important thing is dignity': Call to allow back-to-back headstones in Cork cemeteries

Councillors attending Cork County Council’s recent Western Division meeting held in Clonakilty have called for an urgent review of the bylaws governing cemeteries and in particular the rules on the placement of headstones.

The issue was raised by County Mayor Joe Carroll in a motion that asked: “That Cork County Council revise the bylaws in cemeteries (in particular Kilfachtnabeg Cemetery, Glandore) as a matter of urgency, to allow headstones to be erected back-to-back.”

Before the matter could be discussed councillors were reminded that those who may have “pecuniary or beneficial interest” in the subject should disclose it to the other members. 

Fine Gael's John Michael Foley said that he was a funeral director but would not stand to benefit in any way from the matter proposed in the motion. This was accepted by the other members and Mr Foley took part in the discussion.

Mr Carroll said that the issue was originally brought to his attention a number of years ago. He said that due to the current bylaws headstones in Kilfachtnabeg Cemetery could not be placed back-to-back. 

He said that this resulted in headstones being inaccessible with family members having to pray over the graves of other people. Mr Carroll said that it also makes access to graves difficult if they need to be opened and made the use of mechanical diggers impossible. 

He said: “The most important thing is dignity. We definitely have to do something about it. The bylaws have to be revised straight away.”

Mr Carroll’s motion drew unanimous support from members. John Michael Foley said that the current policy rendered graves inaccessible and was a safety issue when graves had to be dug or opened. 

Mr Foley said that visitors should not have to step on other graves to read headstones. 

He added: 

This is not just about aesthetics, it’s about safety, dignity and practicality. 

"I would urge Cork County Council to amend the cemetery bylaws immediately.”

Independent Ireland's Daniel Sexton and Ann Bambury of the Social Democrats both raised the issue of accessibility at Darrara Cemetery near Clonakilty where wheelchair users could not access gravesides due to gravel pathways. 

Danny Collins of  Independent Ireland said that bylaws had prevented a constituent erecting a Celtic cross monument to his wife in Bantry while Fianna Fáil's Patrick Gerard Murphy called for a “root and branch review.”

Executive officer Noreen O’Mahony said that a countywide review was due to take place and added that additional land at Glandore had also recently been acquired to expand Kilfachtnabeg Cemetery.

This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme