It’s confirmed, they have vanished into thin air as if by magic. Yes, all five gates guarding the entrance to St. Patrick’s cemetery have disappeared.
Making solid metal objects vanish has never failed to spark a sense of wonder in the hearts of simple rural dwellers.
Where did they go? Were they stolen by Dublin criminals, to be carted back to the nation’s capital, using high speed cars pulling flat trailers; to be sold off by the thief, anxious to fund his next heroin fix? Should local Thurles Gardaí be notified?
St. Patrick’s cemetery was first consecrated on May 11th, 1928, by Most Reverend Dr. J.W. Harty, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashel & Emly. (See history link HERE.) Since that date, some 91 years later, the gates to this cemetery have received no more than one coat of paint, adequately reflecting the current overall attitude that exists within Thurles, under the current governance of Templemore / Thurles Municipal District Council and their officials.
Hold on a second; is there a chance here that perhaps Thurles Municipal District Council officials may have demanded their removal; same mortified and red faced, in the knowledge that €90.00 is now required for planning permission to currently erect a headstone on previously purchased graves?
One wonders why recently elected local town councillors haven’t been busy on Facebook in search of credits or did perhaps officials fail to inform them of the removal?
Speaking of Facebook, we did note that one councillor was “calling” for a “Sensory Garden” for the town at their last meeting. Sure wouldn’t St. Patrick’s cemetery make a lovely Sensory Garden, now that the gates are gone hopefully for repair or for scrap and eventual replacement!
George. I will be watching very careful about the outcome of this story. My Father is buried there. I am hoping one day I will get back to Thurles to visit all the family Graves.