Cemetery ground too hard to dig

A BURIAL ground in Glenbeigh is causing huge concern for locals who have to bury loved ones in separate plots because of boulders beneath the surface.

In a recent incident at Ballinakilla, a deceased man could not be buried in a family plot because grave diggers could not penetrate rock beneath the subsoil.

The man’s wife told The Kerryman of her trauma at not being able to bury her husband in a plot they had purchased. “This was awful and it was only for the understanding of the undertaker that it was sorted and I really appreciated it,” she said.

Cllr Michael Cahill said several families in the area have come across the problem of giant rocks in grave plots. “The most recent section of ground in use at Ballinakilla is believed to be the rockiest yet. This is a very emotive time for people,” he said.

A RECENT burial at Ballinakilla burial ground in Glenbeigh took three attempts at three different locations before the deceased’s remains could be laid to rest and there are now calls for the local authority to address the problem.

Loved ones are being buried in separate graves because diggers cannot shift giant boulders, it is claimed, and one parishioner told The Kerryman of the stress of trying to bury her husband.

“My husband died in January and we had previously bought a family grave. This is where my husband expected to be buried. When they opened it, they found huge rocks. When they tried to open a second grave they also hit rock. It was only when they opened a third plot that they were able to bury him.

“This was awful and I didn’t know where I was at the time. It was only for the understanding of the undertaker that it was sorted and I really appreciated it. But I’m thinking about where I’m supposed to go if I can’t be buried with my husband – it’s a worry I can do without,” she said.

Sean Brennan is the undertaker at Ballinakilla burial ground and he said that having to locate to a separate plot means abandoning pre-existing plots with headstones and kerbing already in situ.

“We’re coming across these boulders up to three foot square and we’re having to relocate graves because of them. This is causing a lot of stress for people during what is already a difficult time. We were at one grave recently from 9.30am until 5pm that evening and we couldn’t dig past the boulders,” said Sean.

Cllr Michael Cahill raised the issue at a recent meeting of South and West Kerry Municipal District where the council said they will remove all boulders visible on the surface. “Only committing to remove rock visible on the surface is hardly a solution when most of the rock is beneath the surface,” he said. “The most recent section in Ballinakilla is believed to be the rockiest yet. It’s causing alotofanguish.”