Local Councillor, Charlie O’Connor recently enquired on the availability of grave spaces in the County into the future.
The reply from South Dublin County Council gave a detailed summary on the grave availability in the area. “The preparation of a burial grounds strategy is currently underway and this process is examining among other things the provision of grave spaces in the County. The examination of related issues will look at the current and future provision of grave spaces in privately developed graveyards as well as Council owned ones”.
“There are 3 Council owned graveyards where graves are available for sale and these are Bohernabreena, Saggart and Newcastle graveyards. Following the recent completion of construction works on section A3 there are now 646 plots available for sale in Bohernabreena with scope for the development of another 1,600 plots in the undeveloped sections of A5 and A6. There are also cremation plots and angels plots available in Bohernabreena and these are being developed in accordance with need and demand for them”.
“The extension to Saggart graveyard in 2001 provided approximately 700 additional spaces with 300 of these still remaining. There is no scope for further development of additional plots in Saggart graveyard. The Muslim graveyard at Newcastle currently has 69 plots available for both adults and children and this section will be further developed as required. There is scope for the development of an additional 800 plots in the Muslim section. In the non-denominational section of Newcastle graveyard there are 454 plots available with scope to develop a further 1,600 plots in the future”.
“There are no grave plots remaining in Esker graveyard however provision has been made for the development of a Columbarium Wall for cremation urns, a tender process to procure the necessary construction contract will commence soon. A new privately operated graveyard, Esker Lawns Cemetery, has opened recently in the area with 3,400 grave plots available there”.
The reply concluded “The privately operated graveyards at Newlands Cross, Mount Venus and Kilmashogue continue to operate and the available capacity at these locations will be established through the review process and preparation of the burial grounds strategy.”
