Residents of Castletroy, a neighbourhood in Limerick, have voiced serious apprehensions about a planned cemetery project near their residences. One local person hinted that the mere thought might induce an eerie feeling among the population.
The disquietude of residing in such proximity to a graveyard wasn’t the only issue raised, subsequent worries included the potential occurrences of illicit sexual activities in open space, fistfights among the tombstones, and nocturnal drug usage, with no law enforcement for such disruptive behaviour.
The potential environmental consequences of the project and its impact on local property values were also troubling for residents. There was also unease over potential increase in noise and traffic throughout the construction process and afterwards.
Local objections were raised against the proposal for a burial ground at the site of Monaleen’s pitch-and-putt course, just outside Castletroy, on the eastern side of Limerick city.
Eugene Harrington submitted a preliminary proposal to the local council last October, suggesting that the “memorial park outfitted with standard burial gardens, a cremation area, and columbarium walls” could potentially host over 3,300 burial sites.
The project plans, if executed, would create a “reception plaza situated in the middle of the site that includes a small structure.” Access to the site would be from Monaleen Road by foot and vehicle, with parking “arranged within the main gate as well as a primary parking lot adjacent to the central plaza.”
Following the original application, Limerick City and County Council called for additional details before approving the project last month, on the grounds it would be “consistent with the appropriate planning and sustainable progression of the area.”
An individual vociferously protested a proposed development, expressing fears that its approval would significantly devalue their several-decade-old home. They suggested that prospective buyers would be deterred from purchasing a property located near a burial ground.
The protestor also raised concerns about the potential distress brought upon by a nearby cemetery, particularly for older residents. They argued that such a location would be uncomfortably proximate, constantly reminding the elderly of their mortality.
Concerns were not confined to the presence of the dead, but rather extended to the behaviour of the living. Another objection highlighted the possibility that a graveyard could attract illicit activities. The objector explained that all suspicious behaviours in the locale were currently reported and shared amongst the bustling community. However, the opening of a cemetery could jeopardise the community’s vigilance by providing excuses for outsiders to enter the area under the guise of visiting the burial site.