A new extension has been officially opened at Sligo Cemetery.

Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Councillor Tom MacSharry was on hand to open the development on Wednesday 12 February. He was joined at the ceremony by Canon Patrick Bamber, Fr Pat Lombard, Dr Jamshaid Sulehri, Members of Sligo County Council, Chief Executive Ciarán Hayes, Director of Services Tom Kilfeather and members of cemetery staff and the project team.

This project saw the provision of additional grave spaces, access roads, footpaths, boundary walls, landscaping and office space. It was delivered in an effort to provide the greatest possible number of grave spaces to facilitate a growing urban population.

-- Advertisement --

Speaking at the opening, the Cathaoirleach said: "This is an important day for our Council and our community at a number of levels. There is an interesting folklore and tradition surrounding Sligo's burial grounds. Until the mid-19th century, the town's burial ground was Sligo Abbey, indeed it was said your were not a proper Sligo native unless you could prove your ancestors were buried there – in words, as locals  phrased it, that you were a 'child of the abbey'."

This represents the fourth extension to the grounds after a new section was added to the South in 1922, and further developments were added in 1980 and 1992.

CST and Gerald Love Contractors worked alongside the engineering and cemetery staff to bring this extension to life.

(CM/JG)