GRAVEYARDS FULL UP

RESIDENTS JUST WANT TO BURY LOVED ONES IN HOME VILLAGE

CONCERN is mounting daily among the residents of Rosses Point about where they will bury their dead since the last plot was recently filled in the local graveyard.

Several residents have voiced their fears to The Sligo Champion that they now have nowhere local to be buried. The nearest graveyard is in Rathcormac.

Rosses Point Cemetery lies across the road from St Columba’s parish church. Local attention has turned to an empty plot of land next to the Church which some residents would like to see being used as the next cemetery.

However both Council and Church seem to be saying it’s a matter for the other to identify a new location to bury deceased Rosses Point parishioners.

When asked if they had made an actual offer to the Church for the free plot next door, a spokesperson for Sligo County Council said there were “no immediate plans to acquire more land for a cemetery at Rosses Point.”

“Sligo County Council has been aware for some time of the capacity issue with St Columba’s Cemetery and has engaged with Church and Community repre- sentatives who are seeking to identify options for a graveyard. The Council welcomes these efforts and will seek to assist if and when required to do so,” they said in a statement.

The Council went on to say that the option of “approaching the Catholic Church in relation to land near the priest’s residence has been discussed with Church representatives and they are considering this matter currently. The grounds in questions are the property of the Church and they should be given time to consider the matter.”

The Council also pointed out that Rathcormac burial ground has “significant capacity” and was “reasonably accessible”.

“While the council has the powers to acquire lands by Compulsory Purchase Order ( CPO) it is always best if such a sensitive issue can be dealt with through co- operation from landowners, the wider community, the Church and the Council.

“It is often the case the Church or landowners come to the Council often offering land to the Council to develop as a graveyard,” said the Council spokesperson.

“The Council fully appreciates the desire of many to secure additional graveyard space closer to their community in Rosses Point,” they added.

The Bishop of Elphin Diocese Kevin Doran meanwhile told this newspaper that while he was aware of the concern among parishioners in Rosses Point, “the provision of cemetery facilities is, of course, a matter for the local authority.”

“They would ideally prefer that this would happen within the local community. I have recently had a meeting with the Parish Council about this and the discussion is on- going,” he said in a statement.

Councillor Tom MacSharry said the shortage of grave space was a matter of “serious concern to the Rosses Point Community” and had been raised by a number of councillors including himself by Notices of Motion.

“I now understand and welcome options being discussed by the Council Executive with interested parties, including the Clergy and Parish Council regarding the plot adjoining the Church,” he said.

“I want to make this clear, that any perceived pressure or duress on any specific landowner to sell should not be tolerated,” said Cllr MacSharry.

“I am hopeful that this matter can be resolved sooner rather than later given the fact that the current cemetery is full and it would appear that there is land adjoining the Church,” he added.

The land on which Rosses Point Cemetery lies was originally donated free of charge to the Catholic Church by a local family back in the 1940s.

The local parish priest Monseigneur Gerard Dolan is reported to be retiring at the end of this month.

The large two storey Parochial House will then be vacated.

Residents have told the Sligo Champion that they would like to see the house used for community services like St Michael’s in Sligo town and the plot next to it used as a cemetery.