Laois County Council reject installation of columbarium wall in Rathdowney cemetery

Laois County Council have rejected a notice of motion for the installation of a columbarium wall in Bealady Cemetery, Rathdowney.

Laois Fine Gael County Councillor John King tabled a motion for the installation of a columbarium wall, following requests from people in the locality.

Mr Donal Brennan, Director of Services for Laois County Council rejected this motion, based on a lack of niches sold in St Peter and Paul's cemetery in Portlaoise.

"Laois County Council monitors the demand for inurnments in the county, and notes that since niches became available in the columbarium wall at St Peter and Paul’s cemetery Portlaoise in 2022, a total of 8 niches have been sold," Mr Brennan replied.

Pictured: Bealady Cemetery, Rathdowney

"Laois County Council will continue to monitor the demand for inurnments, however it is not proposed to install a columbarium wall in Bealady cemetery at this time.

"The interment of cremated remains in conventional burial plots (which included Bealady cemetery) is provided for in the Laois County Council Cemetery by laws of 2022," Mr Brennan finished.

Cllr King in turn proposed that provisions for columbarium walls be made for Bealady and Mountrath cemeteries.

"I have had people tell me that they wish to be cremated, it is a very hard subject to talk about," Cllr King said.

"I am making this request on their behalf because they want to reside in the area. I am aware that when ashes come back, you keep them in your house for a long period of time.

"I am also aware that the ashes are not allowed to be spread, they can only be put in the wall. It is a tender subject to deal with, but I want to see this through," said Cllr King.

"The cost of a columbarium wall is around €1,200. Certainly, people are looking for this. We have different cultures and different religions now, certainly this is something that should be considered," he said. 

Pictured: Columbarium walls in St Peter and Paul's cemetery, Portlaoise

"I am happy to propose Rathdowney, I know that only eight niches are used in Portlaoise at the moment, but that is going to be the way forward. We have to make provisions for people when their loved ones die, we have to give them a choice," Cllr King finished.

Independent Cllr James Kelly seconded the motion tabled by Cllr King.

"I fully support this notice of motion, I am sure all the councillors here do too," Cllr Kelly said.

"If there were a competition for the best cemetery in Laois, I would say that Bealady cemetery, Laois County Council have done a lot of work there," he said.

"As Cllr King said, people should have a choice. If you are from Rathdowney, you don't want to be in a columbarium in Portlaoise. It's also putting extra hardship on families who might want to visit the cemetery, so I would fully support this notice of motion," he said.

"I believe it is something that we should look at, it doesn't have to be on as big a scale as Portlaoise. It would be fitting that Bealady would have a columbarium wall," Cllr Kelly finished.

Fine Gael Cllr Conor Bergin supported the motion of his fellow councillor, stating that a columbarium wall would alleviate the pressure for space in Laois cemeteries. 

Pictured: St Fintan's Graveyard, Mountrath

"There is a big demand out there for columbarium walls, and I think what Cllr King is proposing for Rathdowney should certainly be given priority," said Cllr Bergin.

"They have been successful in Portlaoise, I know it's early days yet. As Mr Brennan said, a total of eight niches have been sold, but word spreads.

"There are a lot of people who are likely unaware that it is there in Portlaoise. It can take time for people to become aware of them," he said.

"As Cllr King said, there is a demand for one in Rathdowney, and I think it absolutely should be proposed there. All of our cemeteries are under difficulty for space, that's a big thing.

"Apart from the demand for them, they are very effective for space as well. I fully support this notice of motion," Cllr Bergin finished.

Independent Cllr Ollie Clooney backed the motion from Cllr King, calling for Laois County Council to keep up with 'changing times'.

"I think it should be in every main graveyard where there is any population at all," Cllr Clooney said.

"These are changing times, when you speak to young people, they will tell you that they won't be buried, they want to be cremated. So the times are changing, and we have to deal with that. I would like to see it in every main graveyard in Laois," he finished.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Paddy Bracken also supported the motion, having previously tabled a motion for a columbarium wall in Mountmellick.

"I fully support motion as well. I had a similar motion last year for Mountmellick, and I received the same answer," Cllr Bracken said.

"There has been no progress on that plan either. It seems that Portlaoise will be the main centre for the moment, that's all I can take from this," he finished.

This matter arose at the December sitting of Laois County Council's Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District.