Burial grounds in Askeaton and Feenagh have been named overall County winners of the 2012 County Limerick Burial Grounds Awards at a ceremony in Limerick County Hall.
Dozens of voluntary parish committees, community councils, groups and individuals from across County Limerick participated in the 5th annual awards scheme, which are organised by the Water Services section of Limerick County Council.
The ceremony also featured a presentation from guest speaker John Tierney of Eachtra Archaeological Projects, an archaeological consultancy that has developed a system enabling local communities to record and research their local graveyards.
The awards scheme involves two categories, ancient and modern, which included individual winners for each of the County’s four Electoral Areas. The burial ground at St. Mary's Church in Askeaton picked up the overall winner’s award in the Ancient section, while Reilig Naomh Íde (St Ita's graveyard) in Feenagh was named the overall winner of the Modern section.
Cllr. Leo Walsh, Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council congratulated participants for their efforts to maintain burial grounds throughout the County during the year.
He added: “The people of rural Ireland have always shown a deep respect for their dead and, by extension, for their local burial ground. It is clear from speaking to the adjudicators that this respect has carried through to this awards scheme, such has been the quality of work carried out during 2012. I want to congratulate participants, many of whom received small maintenance grants from the Council during the year, for having done their respective communities proud.”
Speaking at the awards ceremony in County Hall, Caroline Curley, Director of Services, Environment, stated: “The Council depends very heavily on the combined hard work and commitment of voluntary parish committees, community councils, groups and individuals for the upkeep and maintenance of the County’s burial grounds. For the past five years, the Council has run the Burial Grounds Awards ceremony to highlight and reward groups who have shown particular commitment and initiative in following best practice in their work.”
Commenting on the work carried out by community groups to maintain burial grounds, Ms. Curley said: “Most of the county’s graveyards began life as early Christian or medieval parish churches and all of the graveyards and the ruined churches are therefore, protected under the National Monuments Act and are Recorded or National Monuments. The groups have to acquire a particular skill set to maintain these graveyards to the highest standards. Guideline documents have been produced by the Department and the Heritage Council and there is archaeological advice within the Council for all groups to avail of.”
Burial Ground awards Electoral Area winners (Ancient section):
1st St. Mary's Askeaton Church of Ireland (overall category winner), 2nd Ballinakill, 3rd Nantinan (RATHKEALE); 1st Donoughmore, 2nd Mungret Old, 3rd Old Pallas (ANNACOTTY); 1st Bruff Church of Ireland, 2nd Emlygrennan, 3rd Ballinlough (KILMALLOCK); and 1st Aglish, 2nd Monegay, 3rd Killoughlehane (NEWCASTLE WEST).
Burial Ground awards Electoral Area winners (Modern section):
1st Naomh Reilig Ide Feenagh (overall category winner), 2nd St. Marys Abbeyfeale, 3rd Ardagh Burial Ground Extension (NEWCASTLE WEST); 1st St. Fintans Doon, 2nd St. Josephs Castleconnell, 3rd Kilkeedy Ballybrown (ANNACOTTY); 1st Coolcappa, 2nd Reilig Mhuire Parish Churchyard Croom, 3rd Reilig Mhuire Askeaton (RATHKEALE); and 1st Galbally, 2nd Ardpatrick, 3rd Glenroe (KILMALLOCK).
The awards ceremony also featured a presentation from Limerick County Archaeologist Sarah McCutcheon on the range of recent conservation works projects that Limerick County Council has carried out to local churches and graveyards.
Ms. McCutcheon explained: “The County Council, through the local Area Offices, carries out the more major maintenance to the graveyards, such as boundary wall repair and consolidation to the ruined churches. To date, the County Council has conserved three churches, namely Annagh, Killeenagarriff and Croagh and is working on a fourth in Caherconlish.”
“Meanwhile, Limerick County Council has just completed the first phase of a community based training project with West Limerick Resources Ltd LEADER, on Stone wall building with lime mortar. Limerick County Council has also co-operated with Ballyhoura Development Ltd LEADER on the Historic Graves project which entails working with local communities to train them to record and research their local graveyards and to digitise and upload the material onto a national database, www.historicgraves.ie,” she added.
Dozens of voluntary parish committees, community councils, groups and individuals from across County Limerick participated in the 5th annual awards scheme, which are organised by the Water Services section of Limerick County Council.
The ceremony also featured a presentation from guest speaker John Tierney of Eachtra Archaeological Projects, an archaeological consultancy that has developed a system enabling local communities to record and research their local graveyards.
The awards scheme involves two categories, ancient and modern, which included individual winners for each of the County’s four Electoral Areas. The burial ground at St. Mary's Church in Askeaton picked up the overall winner’s award in the Ancient section, while Reilig Naomh Íde (St Ita's graveyard) in Feenagh was named the overall winner of the Modern section.
Cllr. Leo Walsh, Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council congratulated participants for their efforts to maintain burial grounds throughout the County during the year.
He added: “The people of rural Ireland have always shown a deep respect for their dead and, by extension, for their local burial ground. It is clear from speaking to the adjudicators that this respect has carried through to this awards scheme, such has been the quality of work carried out during 2012. I want to congratulate participants, many of whom received small maintenance grants from the Council during the year, for having done their respective communities proud.”
Speaking at the awards ceremony in County Hall, Caroline Curley, Director of Services, Environment, stated: “The Council depends very heavily on the combined hard work and commitment of voluntary parish committees, community councils, groups and individuals for the upkeep and maintenance of the County’s burial grounds. For the past five years, the Council has run the Burial Grounds Awards ceremony to highlight and reward groups who have shown particular commitment and initiative in following best practice in their work.”
Commenting on the work carried out by community groups to maintain burial grounds, Ms. Curley said: “Most of the county’s graveyards began life as early Christian or medieval parish churches and all of the graveyards and the ruined churches are therefore, protected under the National Monuments Act and are Recorded or National Monuments. The groups have to acquire a particular skill set to maintain these graveyards to the highest standards. Guideline documents have been produced by the Department and the Heritage Council and there is archaeological advice within the Council for all groups to avail of.”
Burial Ground awards Electoral Area winners (Ancient section):
1st St. Mary's Askeaton Church of Ireland (overall category winner), 2nd Ballinakill, 3rd Nantinan (RATHKEALE); 1st Donoughmore, 2nd Mungret Old, 3rd Old Pallas (ANNACOTTY); 1st Bruff Church of Ireland, 2nd Emlygrennan, 3rd Ballinlough (KILMALLOCK); and 1st Aglish, 2nd Monegay, 3rd Killoughlehane (NEWCASTLE WEST).
Burial Ground awards Electoral Area winners (Modern section):
1st Naomh Reilig Ide Feenagh (overall category winner), 2nd St. Marys Abbeyfeale, 3rd Ardagh Burial Ground Extension (NEWCASTLE WEST); 1st St. Fintans Doon, 2nd St. Josephs Castleconnell, 3rd Kilkeedy Ballybrown (ANNACOTTY); 1st Coolcappa, 2nd Reilig Mhuire Parish Churchyard Croom, 3rd Reilig Mhuire Askeaton (RATHKEALE); and 1st Galbally, 2nd Ardpatrick, 3rd Glenroe (KILMALLOCK).
The awards ceremony also featured a presentation from Limerick County Archaeologist Sarah McCutcheon on the range of recent conservation works projects that Limerick County Council has carried out to local churches and graveyards.
Ms. McCutcheon explained: “The County Council, through the local Area Offices, carries out the more major maintenance to the graveyards, such as boundary wall repair and consolidation to the ruined churches. To date, the County Council has conserved three churches, namely Annagh, Killeenagarriff and Croagh and is working on a fourth in Caherconlish.”
“Meanwhile, Limerick County Council has just completed the first phase of a community based training project with West Limerick Resources Ltd LEADER, on Stone wall building with lime mortar. Limerick County Council has also co-operated with Ballyhoura Development Ltd LEADER on the Historic Graves project which entails working with local communities to train them to record and research their local graveyards and to digitise and upload the material onto a national database, www.historicgraves.ie,” she added.
