Editorial: Kilkenny cemetery safety issues must be tackled as priority

Ongoing anti-social behaviour in Kilkenny’s largest cemetery needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency.

Local TD John McGuinness and Mayor of Kilkenny Andrew McGuinness are again raising the matter, in particular, the apparent drug dealing which they say is rampant at St Kieran’s Cemetery. There are reports of anti-social behaviour, drug taking and drug dealing, happening on a daily basis and in front of passers by. A group of local ladies who mourn there described being in fear of four fierce-looking men dealing drugs.

Addressing this problem begins with adequate CCTV coverage of the area — an issue which has been brought up time and time again.

Last year, Cllr Eugene McGuinness spoke out about the vandalism and illegal dumping taking place at the same location. He said some families have given up trying to maintain gravesites due to theft and vandalism. They visit the cemetery and find graves of loved ones desecrated, with items taken or broken.

The local council and gardaí need to work together on this to come up with a plan to tackle the issue head on.
The cemetery should be a place of peace and quiet, for reflection, mourning and remembrance. Its atmosphere should be one of solemnity. It’s simply not good enough that people don’t feel safe when they go to grieve and remember loved ones.

RAIL recommendations
We may give a cautious welcome to the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, which contains some recommendations to improve the rail network in this area.

A second track between Kilkenny and Kildare, as well as faster speeds to Dublin are of value. There’s nothing, however, about increasing the platform size, or anything that will make it easier to get to Cork or Galway from here.

In any case, these are just the review’s ‘recommendations’, so until a plan is drawn up and the money firmly in place, excitement can be tempered. After all, an election is next down the tracks!