Call for more columbaria in burial grounds

Cork County Council has been asked to consider installing columbaria in burial grounds throughout the county as more and more people opt for cremation.

During Monday’s full council meeting, Carrigaline councillor Patrick O’Donovan (Fianna Fáil) said he had been approached by numerous constituents enquiring about the availability of columbaria and that demand is steadily growing in Cork. A columbarium is a structure for the public storage of funerary urns holding cremated remains of the dead.

In his motion, Cllr O’Donovan suggested that, if a new burial ground is being built or an existing one is being extended, a columbarium should be worked into the planning.

“I don't think we need them in every burial ground, but I certainly think that in the larger cemeteries in our municipal districts, they should be included,” he said.

“I think people's habit are changing, they don't necessarily want to be buried – the columbarium is that other option,” added Cllr O’Donovan.

Columbaria, which are dedicated structures featuring small compartments designed to house funeral urns, are currently available at five locations around county Cork as part of an ongoing pilot initiative by Cork County Council.

The locations are: Abbey Burial Ground, Bantry; Goulds Hill Cemetery, Mallow; Kilcrumper New Cemetery, Fermoy; St Joseph’s Cemetery, Little Island; and Old Church Burial Ground, Cobh.

Cllr O’Donovan’s motion received strong support across the chamber, including that of Bandon-Kinsale councillor John Michael Foley (Fine Gael), who said that cremations make up close to 30% of funerals in Ireland today.

“That is a growing figure and has grown dramatically in the last number of years,” said Cllr Foley.

“That number shows a clear and growing need for suitable, dignified facilities for cremated remains,” he added.

Cllr Foley also pointed out that columbaria can accommodate many urns in a relatively small area, making better use of limited cemetery land and in turn helping Cork County Council to plan for future demand.

Carrigaline councillor Audrey Buckley (FF) also supported the motion, saying there are people with urns above their fireplace just waiting for a columbarium to become available in their area.

She said: “People want it, people are looking for it and people are waiting for it.”

Independent Ireland councillor John Collins supported the motion too but raised concern over the potential price of a plot within a columbarium, known as “niches”, following a similar motion in Mayo County Council recently in which he said a cost of €1,700 was mentioned.

In an official response to Cllr O’Donovan’s motion, Cork County Council Assistant Chief Executive, Niall Healy said there also plans in place to provide columbarium walls in a small number of additional burial grounds in West Cork as part of the existing pilot initiative.

“It is considered appropriate that the experience to date from the pilot locations be reviewed before any decision is taken in relation to the wider provision of columbarium walls across the county,” said Mr Healy.