Watch out for the squirrels … they are grey not red.
I asked Google’s Bard AI to generate an account of Goldenbridge Cemetery and here it is with many false claims … see if you can spot them:
Nestled amidst the bustling city of Dublin, Ireland, lies Goldenbridge Cemetery, a tranquil oasis of remembrance and history. Its cobblestone paths wind through a verdant expanse, lined with ornate tombstones and weathered headstones that whisper tales of lives lived and stories untold.
The cemetery’s origins can be traced back to the early 19th century, when the Catholic Association, led by the charismatic Daniel O’Connell, sought to provide dignified burial space for all faiths and none. In 1828, they acquired three acres of land near the Grand Canal, a site that would become the first Catholic cemetery in Ireland since the Reformation.
Over the years, Goldenbridge has become a treasure trove of Dublin’s rich history. Its grounds have witnessed the passing of countless souls, from prominent figures who shaped the city’s destiny to ordinary citizens who played their part in the tapestry of life.
Among the cemetery’s notable residents is Thomas Francis Meagher, a revolutionary leader who played a key role in the Irish Rebellion of 1848. His imposing monument, adorned with symbols of freedom and justice, stands as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made for Ireland’s independence.
Another prominent figure interred in Goldenbridge is Michael Cusack, the founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association. Cusack’s commitment to preserving and promoting Irish culture is deeply entwined with the history of the cemetery, as the GAA’s annual graveside commemorations have become a cherished tradition.
Amidst the grand monuments and historical significance, Goldenbridge also holds a quiet intimacy, a place where families gather to remember loved ones and find solace in shared memories. The gentle rustling of leaves, the soft chirping of birds, and the distant murmur of the canal create an atmosphere of tranquility, encouraging reflection and introspection.
As the sun casts its golden rays upon the cemetery’s verdant expanse, the spirits of those who rest beneath its soil seem to stir. Their stories, whispered through the rustling leaves and carried on the gentle breeze, weave a tapestry of lives that continue to touch and inspire the living.
Goldenbridge Cemetery is more than just a burial ground; it is a living testament to the enduring spirit of Dublin, a place where history, tradition, and personal connections intertwine to create a poignant symphony of remembrance. Its hallowed grounds serve as a reminder that even in the face of death, life finds a way to flourish, echoing through the ages and forever etched in the tapestry of the city’s soul.
[NOTE] No cobblestones in the cemetery [] [NOTE] Thomas Francis Meagher is not buried in Ireland. Despite his prominent role in the Irish Rebellion of 1848, his body was never recovered after his drowning in the Sacramento River in 1867. [] [NOTE] Michael Cusack is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin, Ireland. []
ST LUKE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD NEAR DOUGLAS VILLAGE CORK
In May 2022 I visited this church and graveyard for the second time and the weather was beautiful.
In August 2021 I got the 216 bus from St Finbarr’s Cemetery and the bus driver suggested that I should photograph St. Luke’s graveyard in Douglas so I remained on the bus. I did not pay sufficient attention to the driver’s instructions so I had some difficulty finding the Graveyard but I eventually found Churchyard Lane.
Initially I thought the graveyard occupied both sides of the road but there was a big difference between both sections and it soon was apparent that the section near the church was Church Of Ireland while the other section was Catholic.
The Church Of Ireland section [St Luke’s] featured many broken columns (rare in Catholic cemeteries) as representations of lives cut short. The Virgin Mary was confined to the Catholic section [Douglas Graveyard] and there were many examples to be seen. Both sections were maintained but the CofI section was way more attractive and in much better condition.
St Luke’s graveyard is an important part of the history of Cork city, with many well-known Cork figures buried here. Next to the spire is a monument to John Arnott, (1814-98) who founded Arnotts in Dublin. Businessman, philanthropist and former Lord Mayor of Cork (1859-61), he worked throughout his life to develop the industry and resources of Ireland. In the last 30 years of his life, he gave an average of £1,500 per year to public charity.
Another resident of the graveyard is Richard Caulfield, antiquarian and librarian, whose local history publications are still valued. One of the older graves belongs to the Besnards, a prominent Huguenot business family. By 1783, Julius Besnard owned the flax mills in Douglas. Besnard also helped to build the church that stood on this site from 1785 to 1874. 2 The first Rector of the new Douglas parish, Canon Samuel Hayman, (a noted antiquarian) is also buried here.
The great and the good were not the only ones to be buried here. Following the closure by Cork Corporation of graveyards within the city boundaries in 1870, city residents had to bury their dead in the suburbs. By the nineteenth century, urban graveyards were dangerously overcrowded, and ‘garden cemeteries’ began to be built outside many European cities. These burial grounds were not attached to a parish church and the graves were part of a landscaped park, with trees and pathways. In Cork, Fr Mathew had led the way, founding St Joseph’s Cemetery in the former Botanic Gardens in the 1830s. Interestingly, the planting and regular arrangement of St Luke’s graveyard is more like a garden cemetery than a parish burial ground. Its orderly layout dates from the 1870s, when the graveyard was remodelled at the same time as the new church was built.
The new church building, like the old, was built on an east-west orientation, with the chancel at the eastern end, so that the congregation could face towards the east. This was a typical orientation for a Christian sacred building. Maps from before the before the 1870s show that the graveyard once extended out from the eastern and western ends of the building. However, the bulk of the eastern end of the graveyard was divided from the church by a road, now called Churchyard Lane. In this eastern end was a watch-house, built to house a man who would guard the graves from robbers or, even worse, resurrectionists, who sold corpses to medical schools for dissection. The location of this watch house suggests that the majority of burials were in the eastern end of the cemetery. We can surmise that there were burials along the longitudinal sides also because a contemporary illustration of the eighteenth-century church shows a monument alongside it. But the construction of the new church saw a radical shift in the layout of the graveyard.
There are four World War I casualties buried here, and one from World War II. The contribution of women to the war can be seen in the Humby grave, where Private J. Humby is buried alongside Miss F. Humby, who worked for the Voluntary Aid Detachment, a nursing division.
The lodge house by the gate was built for the sexton, who was employed as a caretaker to the church and gravedigger for the graveyard. The house was built for Mr Thomas Morris, who was sexton from 1879 to 1912. His terms of employment were 14 shillings a week, with residence, and 2 tons of coal.
I will discuss the Catholic section at a later date.
Back in August 2021 my my first visit to this cemetery did not go well as there was very heavy rain for the duration of my visit which I had to abandon. I then had to wait for more than 90 minutes for a bus [216] back to the city centre which was really annoying as I could have walked in less than half the time. I suspect that the frequency of the service may have been reduced because of covid restrictions. I did not realise that buses run every 10 minutes between Cork and Wilton Road, stop 240571 which is close to the cemetery.
This year the weather was beautiful and I spent about an hour photographing at random. This time I only had to wait 5 minutes for the number 216 bus and when I boarding the bus the driver mentioned that the bus stopped near a very interesting old graveyard in Douglas. I took his advice.
St. Finbarr’s Cemetery in Cork, Ireland, is the city’s largest and one of the oldest cemeteries in Ireland which is still in use. Located on the Glasheen Road, it was first opened in the 1860s. The entrance gateway was erected circa 1865, and the mortuary chapel consecrated in 1867.
Many of the early burials were of the wealthy citizens of the city. Unlike older cemeteries, St. Finbarr’s was professionally laid out with numbered pathways and wide avenues.
Among those buried at St. Finbarr’s Cemetery are hurler and Taoiseach Jack Lynch; the sculptor Seamus Murphy, the antiquarian Richard Rolt Brash who was among the first to decipher writing in the ancient Ogham writing style; the English composer Arnold Bax; and Cork’s first Lord Mayor Daniel Hegarty.
St. Finbarr’s contains one of the largest burial plots of Irish Republicans who died during the 1920s. There are also more recent burials of members of the Provisional IRA and the Official IRA. This is known as the Cork Republican Plot, and among those buried there are former Lords Mayor of Cork Terence McSwiney and Tomás Mac Curtain, hunger striker Joseph Murphy. In the early hours of 17 March 1963, in protest at the unveiling later that day of a monument in the Republican Plot by President De Valera, IRA volunteers Desmond Swanton and Jeremiah Madden attempted to blow up the monument. However, during this attempt there was an explosion which killed Swanton and severely injured Madden (who lost an eye and a leg). [5] Other republicans who are buried at St. Finbarr’s, but not in the Republican Plot, include Flying Column leader Tom Barry, government minister J. J. Walsh and Dan “Sandow” O’Donovan. Commemorations of the 1916 Rising are held annually at the Republican Plot on Easter Sunday by various groups including Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil, the Workers’ Party of Ireland and Republican Sinn Féin.
The “musicians’ corner” contains the graves of Aloys Fleischmann (Senior) and Aloys Fleischmann, and the composer Arnold Bax.
It also contains a mass grave containing the remains of 72 women who died at St. Vincent’s Magdalene Laundry on Peacock Lane in Cork. A family of an identified women buried in this grave have called for the site to be investigated.
On the third day of my 2022 visit to Limerick I walked from the City Centre to Mount St Lawrence Cemetery and it did not take as long as I had expected. This visit I used my Sony 24-70mm lens which I use infrequently but I do like it but I am more inclined to select a prime rather than a zoom.
The cemetery is well maintained and there are signs of improvements every time I visit.
Commencing in 2012, Limerick Archives digitised the original burial registers to preserve these unique and valuable documents. The joint project with Mary Immaculate had three specific aims. To complete the transcription process to create a searchable database of the burial register entries, to map the cemetery grave markers using GPS technology, and to produce a history of Mount Saint Lawrence cemetery. The digital recreation of the graveyard itself has allowed historians, researchers and the general public to trace their ancestors’ deaths and burial places, and it is one of the Archives’ most utilised resources.
In August 20th 2013, Mayor of Limerick Kathleen Leddin launched the online database which holds information on the 70,000 buried in the graveyard, dating from 1855 to 2008. This database will eventually contain information such as the names, addresses, times of death, position of graves, ages and dates of deaths of those buried in Mount St. Lawrence. This will contribute greatly to the city and surrounding areas. The city can use the information on the records to give accurate figures on the mortality rate, for example. It will also help to discover what the problems were in the hospitals of Limerick back in those times and why the death rate was so high.
Cemeteries in Limerick began to fall under immense pressure due to cholera epidemics in the 1830’s and the Great Famine in the 1840’s. This led to the founding of Mount St. Lawrence cemetery. Originally it formed part of the larger medieval parish of St. Lawrence in Limerick. This parish also contained a leper hospital, granted by King John, which was later returned to Limerick Corporation. They then leased some of the land to the Limerick Diocese for use as burials grounds. Mount St. Lawrence was officially opened on March 29th 1849 in a ceremony presided over by Dr John Ryan, Bishop of Limerick at this time.
The Neo-Gothic Church was designed as a mortuary chapel by architects M & S Hennessy, who also designed the tall spire of St. John’s Cathedral, which is now a notable point in Limerick City. It was designed in Celtic and Gothic Revival styles with an Arts and Crafts influenced interior. Mount St Lawrence graveyard was the primary place of burial in Limerick City for all members and classes of society, from the wealthy and powerful to those poverty stricken.
Mount Saint Lawrence has always contained plots reserved for certain groups, for example, religious graves, diocesan graves and a Republican plot.
On the 29 March 1849 Mount Saint Lawrence Cemetery was opened on an 18 acres site on Mulgrave Street to alleviate the overcrowded city graveyards. From 1849 until 1979 the cemetery was run by the Catholic Church and in 1979 it was taken over by Limerick City Council and the day to day running of the Cemetery is by the Environment Department.
Mount Saint Lawrence Cemetery was the primary place of burial in Limerick for all strata of society, from the wealthy to those who died in the Lunatic Asylum and Workhouses. The more prominent families tended to be buried along the central path close to the chapel. The ‘Poor Squares’ were located at the top of the cemetery at the left hand corner and in the bottom right corner.
Burial Records date from March, 1855 and the Burial Register records that over 70,000 individuals have been interred in Mount Saint Lawrence, up to 2009. The oldest individual recorded in the register is Mary Keane of Thomondgate, buried on 24th January, 1880 at the age of 110.
Over the years I have been advised to avoid cemeteries in Belfast and that Belfast City Cemetery, in particular, was to be avoided especially if you had an expensive camera. Last year I decided the get the Glider to the cemetery but on arrival I had to leave because of anti-social behaviour by some very drunk people who had targeted a person in a wheelchair and a number of other people got involved.
This year the head chef in the hotel, where I stayed for the week, and a local priest who I met while photographing a church suggested that I should try again but to go there around ten or eleven in the morning. I took their advice but for various reasons I did not arrive until about two o’clock. I remained for about two hours and photographed at random and did not try to locate “notable” graves.
Belfast City Cemetery is a large cemetery in west Belfast. It lies within the townland of Ballymurphy, between Falls Road and Springfield Road, near Milltown Cemetery. It is maintained by Belfast City Council. According to many reports vandalism in the cemetery is widespread.
Following the Belfast Burial Ground Act (1866), the cemetery was opened on August 1, 1869 as a cross denominational burial ground for the people of Belfast, a fast-growing Victorian town at the time. The land was purchased from Thomas Sinclair. The cemetery features cast iron fountains and separate Protestant and Catholic areas, divided by a sunken wall. Many of Belfast’s wealthiest families have plots in the cemetery, particularly those involved in the linen trade. Since its opening in 1869 around 226,000 people have been buried in the cemetery.
There has been an area set aside for Belfast’s Jewish residents since 1874. In this area is a memorial to Daniel Joseph Jaffe. Daniel Jaffe was the father of Otto Jaffe, a Jewish linen exporter and former Lord Mayor of Belfast. Above the old Jewish entrance to the cemetery, Hebrew writing can clearly be identified.
In 1916 an area was dedicated to soldiers who died serving in World War I, when 296 Commonwealth service personnel were buried in the cemetery. Those whose graves could not be marked by headstones are listed on Screen Wall memorial in Plot H.[3] Many of the United States Army personnel killed in the sinking of HMS Otranto in 1918 were buried in the graveyard. After the war their bodies were exhumed and repatriated to the United States.
In World War II, 274 Commonwealth service personnel, 5 of them unidentified, were buried in the cemetery, besides 3 Norwegian nationals whose graves are also maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
As the frequent target of vandalism, many of the British Army soldiers’ headstones were moved to Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park. In 2012, continuing vandalism of the World War I Screen Wall has led to proposals to move it to another part of the cemetery. Due to its historical importance, the cemetery is a popular tourist attraction in Belfast, with guided tours available.
On 8 April 2006, Denis Donaldson was buried in the cemetery. Donaldson was a former IRA member and Sinn Féin politician. He was killed shortly after being named as a British spy. His burial in the City Cemetery rather than in the republican plot of Milltown Cemetery was significant, as it was seen as a final snub by the republican movement.
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