Upset over closure of vehicle gates at St Mary’s Cemetery

The closing of the gates of St Mary's Cemetery Navan until 4pm each day has led to complaints by some parishioners who say it has stopped the elderly visiting their loved ones after weekday memorial masses, and hinders those who want to carry bags of compost or large pots of flowers to their graves.

The parish recently took the decision to close the main gates until 4pm each evening in a bid to deal with unauthorised contractors working there and leaving mounds of rubble and rubbish on graves.

However local parishioner, Eamon Cunningham, said the new rules have had a serious impact.

"It was my mother's anniversary last week and I wanted to bring my father to the grave after mass.

"He is 88-years-old. I couldn't bring him into the cemetery in the car as I normally would, so I had to bring him home and he was very upset.

"At his age, he wouldn't have been able to come out again later in the day. Most elderly people want to visit their graves after mass, like they always did," he said.

Mr Cunningham said the new restrictions are proving very difficult for people who want to bring pots of flowers or bags of composts to their graves.

"Opening the gates between 4pm and 9pm instead of all day means that there is a bigger concentration of people there in the evenings," he said.

Navan Administrator, Fr Declan Hurley said there has been an issue with unauthorised contractors carrying out work on graves and headstones, then dumping on other graves and the hedges.

"There was also an issue with anti social behaviour and we had to put up security fencing. Closing the gates was just another factor in addressing it," he said

"We are very mindful of the need for some people to have vehicular access, such as the elderly who want to get as close as they can to the grave they ware visiting. The gates are open in the late afternoon and all day Sunday and the pedestrian gates remain open.”

Fr Hurley said he had received some queries from parishioners but when he explains why, they accept it and some even suggest closing them permanently. He pointed out that there isn't vehicular access to most cemeteries.