This article is from page 28 of the 2007-09-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 28 JPG
A MAJOR clean-up and renovation of an east Clare cemetery by will- ing locals has borne fruit. Kilavoher cemetery now has a new gate, re- paired walls and a name plaque.
In addition, secretary of the Meel- ick-Parteen Graveyard Commit- tee, Councillor Cathal Crowe, said, “Anti-social behaviour at the Kilavo- her cemetery has ceased.”
The graveyard committee was set up after reports that the area was be-
ing used for drinking and anti-social behaviour. Committee members Fr Fred McDonald, Mike Crowe, Ca- thal Crowe, Ray Armstron, Seamus Spaight, Packie Cronin, George White, Martin Manning and Bernard McNa- mara took on the project and now the cemetery is ship-shape again.
“At the beginning of the summer it was brought to my attention that the cemetery was being used for drink- ing parties. It was also alleged that the cemetery has been the scene of debauchery and vandalism. I was
even informed by one local resident that rocks were pelted at an old head- Stone,’ Councillor Crowe said.
The work actually began more than two years ago when the committee took a conscious decision to clean up Kilavoher cemetery.
The historic cemetery was “in very poor condition and briars had grown up to above head height’ said Cllr SOW
Some graves in the cemetery date back to the late 18th century.
“Summer 2005 was the first time in
a long time that many of these graves has seen the light of day. At the time of our major clean-up, many passers- by remarked that they never knew that a cemetery was beneath all the briars and weeds. Since our clean-up operation in 2005, the cemetery has been maintained to a high standard by local volunteers,’ the councillor said.
He called on anyone who witnesses further anti-social behaviour to report it to either a member of the Grave- yards Committee or the Gardai.