Plans for memorial wall at almost-full Limerick city cemetery

COUNCIL is to seek planning permission to install memorial walls for cremated remains in the city’s largest cemetery by this May.

A layout for a columbarium garden at Mount St Lawrence cemetery has been prepared by local authority staff.

This design will allow for multiple columbarium walls.

These are walls with small compartments that hold urns containing cremated ashes.

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Access will be provided to the garden from the main road outside the cemetery, Sonja Reidy, a senior executive officer for the council wrote.

“The garden will be wheelchair accessible and fully landscaped,” she added.

Ms Reidy was responding to a question from City East councillor Sarah Kiely, who sought an update on the timeline for delivery on this.

She was told an application would be made by May, but whether the garden is built will be subject to funding.

Cllr Kiely gave a cautious welcome to the answer, saying she has been told the project was happening for the last three years.

“I am very keen to get this (application) through as quickly as possible,” she said. “I want them to lodge it as soon as possible to allow for works to commence before the end of the year.”

“We are at capacity up there in the old burial ground. Mount St Lawrence new cemetery is now coming at near capacity,” Cllr Kiely said.