KILLARNEY’S long wait for a new public burial ground is over.
A new graveyard, provided at an estimated cost of €900,000 to provide space for burials for an estimated 35 years, was opened on Wednesday morning at Knockeendubh, off the main road from Killarney to Kilcummin.
Located at the side of a narrow rural roadway, it will provide approximately 2,300 burial spaces or plots.
The opening was attended by Mayor of Killarney, Cllr John Sheahan and the elected members of the Killarney Municipal District as well as the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, Deputies Danny and Michael Healy-Rae and Chief Executive of Kerry County Council, Moira Murrell.
A multi-faith ceremony also took place to mark the opening and burial plots are now available to those of all faiths and none.The prayers were led by Fr Niall Howard, St Mary’s Cathedral, Venerable Archdeacon Simon Lumby, Church of Ireland and and Iman Mohammed Saeed of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Killarney.
A 150-space car park at the graveyard has also been completed and, in time, the facility will also incorporate a columbarium wall for the placement of urns containing cremated remains.
Cllr Sheahan thanked the staff of Kerry County Council who helped to bring the facility to fruition.
He said it was important that the council provided a burial ground to cater for the needs of Killarney over the coming years and that a final resting place be made available for the people of the town and the surrounding area.
The saga surrounding a new burial ground in Killarney was long-running and divisive and it took an oral hearing from An Bord Pleanála to rule on the issue after Kerry County Council implemented a compulsory purchase order to acquire the site against the wishes of the landowner.
PJ Lynch, who owned the site involved, had insisted that alternative sites were available to the council and he said he didn’t like the approach being taken by the local authority.
The Knockeenduff project also divided Killarney Municipal District Council with councillors split 5-3 on whether the site was suitable.
At a heated meeting last year, at which tempers flared, Cllrs Brendan Cronin, John Joe Culloty, John Sheahan, Michael Gleeson and Bobby O’Connell voted in favour of the Knockeenduff plan with Cllrs Donal Grady, Niall Kelleher and Maura Healy-Rae voting against.
The graveyard was initially due to open last March but due to a number of delays, including weather issues, it was delayed until this week. To reach the cemetery from Killarney town, take the road to Tralee and the turn off for Kilcummin, pass the existing graveyard and turn left at the Coolcorcoran crossroads junction. It is located on the right hand side of the road, near agricultural land.
Pictures: Valerie O’Sullivan. Click on individual images for details
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