Volunteers to clean up Clonoghill cemetery

A local action group has organised a major-clean up at Clonoghill cemetery in Birr this weekend in a bid to highlight what it says is the gross neglect of the cemetery over the past year.

Described as the “Glasnevin of the Midlands”, the 8-acre site cemetery site at Clonoghill was opened in 1865 and is one of the oldest working graveyards in Offaly. Since a CE Scheme to maintain the facility was discontinued last year the condition of the cemetery has worsened, prompting a call for volunteers to mobilise for a major clean-up operation.

The event is planned for Saturday of this week, June 10, from 10am to 2pm.

The action group has the backing of the three local councillors on Birr Municipal District, Cllrs John Clendennen, Sean Maher and John Carroll, all of whom attended a public meeting on the issue in the Marian Hall in Birr on Wednesday night.

Volunteers of all ages are asked to come along and give whatever time they can spare to the effort. Full updates of the event are available on a special Facebook page which has been set up at: www.facebook.com/clonoghillcleanupcrew

Speaking to the Offaly Independent this week, Cllr John Carroll, described Clonoghill cemetery as having gone “to rack and ruin” over the past number of months and said the grass is “almost a foot high in places” and the paths are overgrown with weeds.

He said the Birr Municipal District are planning to recruit some outdoor staff in September, but he fears that all Local Authorities are now going down the privatisation route and that outdoor staff will become a thing of the past.

“This problem never arose before as we had excellent CE Scheme employees over the years who kept all the graveyards in top condition, but the Gateway Scheme (which replaced the CE Scheme) was not renewed last year, so all the graveyards have been neglected,” said Cllr Carroll.

The Birr councillors are hopeful that some scheme can be put in place as soon as possible for graveyard maintenance but, in the meantime, they are full supportive of plans for the voluntary clean-up blitz on Clonoghill cemetery.

The event has the backing of the Birr 2020 project, which is chaired by Salters Sterling, and Birr Tidy Towns Committee and public liability insurance has also been provided.

All volunteers are asked to bring along any type of machine they may have, such as hedge strimmer, lawnmower, spades, rake, shovel and the small committee have managed to secure fuel sponsorhip from local businesses.

They have also organised sponsorship for the provision of cold drinks to all volunteers, while local construction firm, Bloomdale, have offered to take grass and rubbish away in trailers.