LIMERICK City and County Council have committed to cleaning up St Bridget’s Graveyard, which is better known as the Paupers Graveyard at Watch House Cross.
Fianna Fail TD Willie O’Dea told the Limerick Post that he had been contacted by local residents about the unkempt appearance and dreadful littering particularly along the entrance to the cemetery.
“On foot of this, I visited the area myself and it was in a terrible state with litter strewn everywhere. I have made representations on the matter to Limerick City and County Council and they have assured me that they will clean it up,” he explained.
“It is a real pity that the graveyard was allowed to get into such a poor state. It is estimated that more than 5,000 people were buried there and many of them were famine victims who died at Union Workhouse, which is now St Camillus’ Hospital.”
Out of respect for the thousands who are interred in the Paupers Graveyard, Deputy O’Dea said he appealed to Limerick City and County Council to provide an ongoing maintenance programme for the site, so that it remains a fitting last resting place for so many Limerick people, including thousands of victims of the Great Famine.
In response, a spokesman for the Council said: “The clean-up of the graveyard has been included in the annual maintenance and upkeep programme. However, all works under this programme are subject to available resources.”
