Works proposed for new entrance to east Mayo graveyard

A new road will be developed into an existing burial ground in east Mayo which will provide safer access for mourners who currently have to negotiate a 'treacherous' 90 degree bend to enter it.

Members of the Claremorris/Swinford Municipal District all agreed to a proposal to develop a new road to the existing burial ground in Bohola with the development to also include a new entrance, access roadway, parking spaces, internal footpaths and landscaping.

Kiltimagh-based councillor Adrian Forkan welcomed the development and thanked the Deacy family for gifting land to carry out the development.

He told the meeting of the municipal district that the graveyard is located on a 90 degree bend along the Bohola to Ballina road and currently it is dangerous for people attending burials or visiting the graveyard.

“It is a treacherous corner and accessing it at times of funerals is near impossible at times. Along with that when you go into the graveyard it is a gradient you would hardly walk up the hill and a lot of undertakers would not drive up it. It is so steep.

“Elderly people could not access the top of the graveyard so this work will bring a new roadway up the side of the graveyard with footpaths and a turning bay and car park at the top. The access will be from the other side rather than the main road.

“It is a fantastic project which has been going on for a while but is no more than what the people of Bohola deserve. They have put up what's there for a long time,” said the Fianna Fáil councillor.

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His party colleague, Cllr John Caulfield concurred and said the work needed to be done for a long time and was delighted it will now happen.

“In the summer time you have a lot of visitors coming to cemeteries and you will have cars parked on that 90 degree bend so certainly from a health and safety perspective it is a very worthy project,” he commented.