Grave plot thickens as officials visit Ballyhack cemetery Outging gent and beloved dad MJ is laid to rest after fatal accident
OFFICIALS from the Department of Heritage have visited
Ballyhack Cemetery after a large grave was dug up, unearthing bones.
A Wexford County Council spokesperson has confirmed that works continued on the site last week and it is believed the plot – which is big enough to hold four or more graves – is completed.
The spokesperson said: ‘Our planning section did issue a warning letter and the Department of Heritage were also contacted by us and they have taken up the case and are following up on it. They have visited the site and we are expecting a report from the department by the end of this week or early next week.’
The spokesperson said the department officials may require certain works to be carried out on the grave in the cemetery.
‘As far as we know the works were completed on the site but it needs to be tidied up.’
Last week we reported how a local resident arrived at the cemetery – which is about to be listed as a heritage site – and alerted authorities that a large site was being dug up by workmen. Hip, arm and leg bones, and a skull – believed to be belonging to children – were exposed during the works at the plot which measures some five pallets in length and three pallets in width.
Local resident Martin Foley (71), said he commissioned the work and is preparing the plot for when he is laid to rest there.
A local resident said: `It’s like John B Keane’s play, The Field... The way the bones were scattered all over on the grounds was disgraceful. The bones are small and look like children’s which is very disturbing.’
THE funeral took place yesterday of a young father from Ballycarney whose death in an industrial accident on Thursday has left an entire community numb with grief and shock.
MJ Malone, from Ballyduff, Ballycarney, died following the accident which local gardai said occurred at around 9 a.m. on Thursday morning in Tomgarrow.
People throughout Enniscorthy are this week coming to terms with his passing and the sudden and unexpected nature of his death has compounded the grief felt within the community.
Mr Malone, who was in his 30s, was working on the construction of a grain store when the accident occurred.
A devoted father, he was very highly regarded within his local community and that fact was highlighted by the large amount of condolence tributes expressed to his family following the tragedy.
People from all over County Wexford offered sympathies to his family in addition to condolences coming from other areas of Ireland and as far away as New York.
One person described Mr Malone as an ‘absolute gentleman, a laugh, [and] a hard worker who knew his trade’ while another couple said he was ‘a gentleman with a big heart and time for everyone, young and old’.
Those sentiments were shared by Cllr Kathleen Codd-Nolan, from Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, who is a neighbour of the Malone family.
‘He really was a decent, honest, hard-working young gentleman and he’d always have a smile when you would meet him,’ she said.
Cllr Codd-Nolan said the entire community in Castledockrell is ‘devastated’ by the tragedy.
‘It’s just devastating for his family and for the wider community which is very close-knit,’ she said.
‘He was outgoing and was a friend to people of all ages,’ she added.
Cllr Codd-Nolan expressed sympathies to Mr Malone’s parents, siblings and to his partner and his children on their sad loss.
Her sentiments were echoed by Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy who also offered her condolences to Mr Malone’s family.
‘I would offer my deepest condolences to the family,’ she said.
‘It’s heartbreaking for his family,’ she added.
Mr Malone was working on the construction of a grain store when the accident that claimed his life occurred.
The gardai and the Health and Safety Authority launched investigations into the accident and a spokesperson for Enniscorthy gardai said both investigations are ongoing.
The spokesperson said the gardai received a report of an accident at Tomgarrow, Ballycarney, at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning.
Describing the incident as an industrial accident, the garda spokesperson said HSA inspectors visited the scene, which remained sealed off until around 5 p.m. on Thursday evening, and the two investigations into the accident were launched immediately.
Mr Malone, who was a pillar of the community and held in very high esteem, was a dearly loved son of Eddie and Stella Malone and came from one of the most highly respected families in the community.
He is survived by his parents, his children, Evie and Pippa, their mother - Mr Malone’s partner, Linda - and her son, Nathan.
He is also survived by his brothers, Ray and Eamonn, his sister, Eilish, and by his loving family, grandmother, Anna, aunt, Ann, uncle, Tim, brother-in-law, John, sister-in-law, Oonagh, nephews, nieces, relatives and large circle of friends.