Donegal County Council is actively considering plans for a new multi-denominational burial ground to serve Letterkenny’s growing community.
There have been calls for increased cemetery space in the town amid reports that Letterkenny’s two main Christian burial grounds at Conwal and Leck will be at capacity in an estimated seven years.
Mayor of Letterkenny-Milford Kevin Bradley said that most graveyards are already nearly full to capacity, which is a “serious situation”.
Cllr Bradley raised the matter at this month’s meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford MD, where the council said that extensive engagement has been taking place with a diverse range of stakeholders including The Inter-Church Group on Community Graveyard Provision in Donegal, The Black and Ethnic Minority Group, The Intercultural Platform and Non-Denominational Groups.
A spokesperson said: “This engagement has allowed the Council to gain a wider understanding of the requirements for multi-denominational burial arrangements in Donegal.
“The Environment Section will commit to engage with the newly elected council on the provision of burial grounds. The initial focus will be on areas of greatest need, particularly the greater Letterkenny area, which has the largest population and the greatest cultural diversity. This approach can then be considered as a potential model for the rest of the county.”
