Cork County Council to look at creating more columbarium walls as cremations increase

Cork County Council is to look at creating more ‘columbarium’ storage-style walls in its cemeteries as nearly a third of people who die in the region are opting for cremation, but it has warned such walls are expensive to build and the cost would affect the council’s budget.

The increase in cremations has been noticeable in recent years, and the local authority has been urged by many councillors to adapt more of its cemeteries to cater for this.

Fianna Fáil councillor Patrick Donovan put forward a recent motion at a meeting of the council, pointing out that the most populous town in the county, Carrigaline, which is also the nearest to the crematorium in Haulbowline, hasn’t got such a facility and badly needs it.

Fianna Fáil councillor Gobnait Moynihan said cremations are more cost-effective and the council needs to address this.

She said it’s important that people have the two options of being buried in a plot or having their ashes placed in urns and stored in columbarium walls.

Fine Gael councillor John Michael Foley, who is a funeral director, said cremations currently stand at 30% and will continue to grow in popularity.

He bemoaned the fact there is only one columbarium wall in the entire West Cork region – in Bantry.

“In some smaller cemeteries, plots could also be used for a number of burials of ashes and we should look at that option as well,” he said.

The council has installed them on a pilot basis at the Abbey burial ground in Bantry, at Gould’s Hill cemetery in Mallow, at Kilcrumper New Cemetery in Fermoy; St Joseph’s Cemetery, at Little Island and the Old Church burial ground in Cobh.

Assistant chief executive Niall Healy said there are plans to provide more columbarium walls in West Cork. 

He promised a review will be carried out which would include consideration of the level of demand and costs, and the suitability of existing burial grounds to accommodate such facilities.

“This review will be carried out by the council’s social inclusion and community SPC with a view to informing the council’s future approach to the provision of columbarium walls.

“It should be noted that the cost of developing columbarium walls can be considerable, and, to that end, consideration should be given in the budgetary process to making the necessary funding provision being made available,” Mr Healy added.