St. Patrick’s cemetery, situated on Moyne Road, Loughtagalla, Thurles, in North Co. Tipperary, was first consecrated on May 11th, 1928, by Most Reverend Dr. J.W. Harty, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashel & Emly. Amongst others present were Mr W. Butler, Chairman Thurles Urban District Council; Mr L. Scully, Chairman of the Burial Board; Mr V. Kelly, Architect, Dublin and Mr J.M.Kennedy, Thurles Town Clerk and then also secretary and the designer of the the former Sarsfields GAA club crest “Thro’ The Thatch”, to be seen on the jerseys of the old Thurles “Blues”.
The first body to be interred in St. Patrick’s cemetery was one, Mrs M. Gorman, herself a native of Athnid, Thurles, latter buried there nine months earlier, on August 1st, 1927.
Since 1928, (over 90 years ago) the gates to this cemetery have rarely, if ever, received more than one coat of paint. These now truly neglected, corroded and decomposing steel bars adequately reflect an overall image and attitude within our town; same neglected under the present governance of Templemore / Thurles Municipal District Council and it’s management.
With some of our elected representatives continuing to place petty, party politics and misguided feelings of self importance ahead of their duties and responsibilities to those who elected them, we find that they, together with council management; latter unwilling to change their habits, behaviours and opinions, are failing to realise who actually pays their annual salaries.
Currently inside on this consecrated ground, particularly during the evening time, grave owners and visitors regularly discuss what they describe as “looting”, and the demonstration of total disrespect to those deceased, now at rest.
Donated mementos /ornaments, pots and vases, many containing perennial flowers, are being stolen, many on a weekly bases. People, regrettably, now see as a waste of time, the reporting of such thefts to local Gardaí and it is now widely believed that same items are ending up for sale in out-of-town car boot sales or as floral displays in private gardens.
Just like the rusted bars on our cemetery gates, same behaviour is now regarded as being perfectly acceptable, in a town without any real governance and devoid of any real local representation.
We will be highlighting further proof of this statement in the coming days and invite positive comment and discussion on this site.
I have already highlighted the terrible state of the gates. I hope you have more luck getting a positive response.