A new plaque and sign are set to be erected to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of St Conal’s Hospital Graveyard.
A public event will be held to unveil the memorial in the grounds of the former Letterkenny Psychiatric Hospital this Sunday 7th October at 3pm.
The plaque and sign will detail the history of the graveyard at St. Conal’s Hospital, and the work that has been untaken in recent years by the St Conal’s Hospital Graveyard Restoration Committee which is a partnership approach between the Mental Health Services, the HSE Estates Office,the Letterkenny Men’s Shed, Letterkenny Tidy Towns Committee and several individuals.
The graveyard itself dates back to 1868 and was in use right up to 1902. The majority of patients who died in St Conal’s Hospital would have been buried in this graveyard. The patients buried here would have come from all areas of County Donegal and from all religious backgrounds. For a variety of reasons, they were left to be buried by the hospital authorities.
In 1902 a decision was made to permanently close this graveyard and transfer the internment of deceased patients to the new graveyard at Leck on the southern bank of the River Swilly.
The commemorative event will take place on Sunday 7th October at 3pm at the site of the Old Graveyard, St Conal’s Hospital, Letterkenny and all are welcome to attend.
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