CALLS persist for columbarium walls to be installed across the county, as burial tendencies continue to change and more people are being cremated.

Cllr George Gill (FF) raised the issue at a meeting of West Cork Municipal District earlier this month.

He said local residents are keen to develop a rocky section of Glengarriff graveyard that is unsuitable for burial plots into a columbarium.

Cllr Caroline Cronin (FG) supported the idea, praising the installation of the columbarium wall in the Abbey burial ground in Bantry as part of Cork County Council’s pilot scheme.

Cllr Deirdre Kelly (FF) also welcomed the suggestion and said it was a very practical solution given the scarcity of plots.

The issue was also raised at a meeting of the local authority last week, with Cllr Patrick Donovan (FF) calling for columbarium walls to be constructed across the county, starting with the larger towns. He welcomed the council’s pilot scheme and the suggestion to refer it to the Social Inclusion and Community Strategic Policy Committee.

Cllr Audrey Buckley (FF) said she has raised this issue at council level repeatedly over the past four years, and would be bringing it up again at the next meeting of Carrigaline MD.

She said she still has people with urns up on their mantlepieces, waiting for a niche to become available nearby.

She pointed to Chetwynd cemetery as an example of a columbarium wall executed well.

Cllr John Michael Foley (FG) revealed that close to 30% of people in Ireland are opting for cremation, and the numbers are continuing to rise.

He said it is important that people have a “permanent place of remembrance”, noting that there is only one columbarium wall between Bantry and Allihies.

Cllr Foley also suggested that where full plots may not be available, quarter plots be offered for the burying of ashes.

Cllr John Collins (Ind Ire) raised concerns around the price of the niches, saying he was shocked to see Mayo County Council were charging €1700.

Niall Healy, the council’s Assistant Chief Executive, said that a review of the pilot programme must be undertaken before any new walls are built.

He added that any future constructions would be considered with regard to demonstrated demand, the suitability of individual locations, and provision of the necessary funding.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.