Historical cemeteries get a facelift

Magheralin, Donacloney, Aghagallon and Lynastown house some of the oldest graves with some dating as far back as the early 1600’s.

Some had fallen into disrepair, others it was impossible to read the inscriptions. So £11,000 from Council and £33,000 from SOAR was allocated to clean 150 headstones, repair 32 headstones with 12 metal grave railing surrounds repaired and painted.

Magheralin cemetery got a new gated entrance fitted to the old church ruins with each graveyard receiving information and interpretive signs with a little bit of history and map. Bins and seats were also installed

“I’m delighted that this work has taken place,” commented Councillor Johnny McGibbon Chair of Environmental Services Committee, “cemeteries are very interesting places to visit and given that these ones are so old it’s important to try to maintain them to the highest possible standard”.

Chair of LAG Committee Councillor George Savage comments, “it’s great that these cemeteries have benefited from this SOAR investment particularly Donacloney and Magheralin”.