Controversy over construction works at unmarked grave in one Limerick community
RESIDENTS in one Limerick townland are shocked at the attempted paving over of an unmarked grave that has been present in the community for close to a century.
One local, living in Coonagh, has stressed to the Limerick Leader that there are babies buried in an unmarked grave outside a residence in the locality.
After spotting construction works taking place outside the residence where the graves are located, he stated that the National Monuments Service (NMS) has already served two notices to the family to immediately cease ongoing works.
The National Monuments Service, which forms part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, plays a crucial role in protecting archaeological sites under State care.
They told the Limerick Leader that the monument referred to in Coonagh belongs to a class known as “children’s burial grounds” used for burying unbaptised infants.
“It is difficult to provide an exact age for any particular example. They would generally have ceased to be used as burial grounds in the early part of the 20th century at the latest,” a spokesperson said.
Due to the site potentially predating modern burial legislation, the Department indicated that there were no means of estimating how many burials this, or any site, contains.
These sites are not under State or local authority care and are generally located on privately owned land.
The Coonagh site is a Recorded Monument protected under section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994.
“This requires any person proposing to carry out work at or in relation to such a monument to give the Minister two months’ notice,” a NMS spokesperson added.
One local informed the Limerick Leader that a special tribute including a cross, sign and flowers was posted on Saturday, February 26 to the site but was stolen by persons unknown the following day.
They also stressed that residents within the community have been voicing their concern about the works for some time and are in close contact with the council and NMS over preserving the site.
“The National Monuments Service is in liaison with all relevant persons with a view to ensuring that the requirement to give notice of proposed works is fully complied with.
“As this is an active case it would not be appropriate to comment further,” the spokesperson concluded.