Bluebell Cemetery ‘overgrown with weeds’ say visitors and local councillors

Local residents and councillors are calling on Dublin City Council to cut the overgrown grass and weeds spread throughout Bluebell Cemetery as it is making it difficult to visit graves, they say.

Visitors to the cemetery have said that the lawns and weeds have not been cut back for a number of months, making some graves nearly inaccessible.

Dublin City Council, which manages and operates the cemetery says that to encourage biodiversity, it has reduced the number of times it cuts back grasses in cemeteries.

“Dublin City Council ceased the spraying of herbicides as part of its Biodiversity Action Plan and because of the knowledge that the chemicals were harmful to flora and fauna,” it said in a statement.

“The grasses and wildflowers will now be strimmed twice a year and the next strim is due in September.

“The draft Burial Places Strategy recently published by the council proposes that all burial sites would have a site-specific conservation management report and action plan which will involve a consultation with the local community.

“It is hoped that this can progress in 2022.”

However, local councillors say that they have been contacted by people who visit the graveyard, saying they are upset by its shoddiness.

“Residents and members of the public have contacted me,” says Sinn Fein councillor for the area, Daithí Doolan.

“People are very upset to see a local graveyard overgrown with weeds.

“We all understand, and fully support DCC’s efforts to promote biodiversity but people feel very strongly that some order and tidiness could be maintained while still supporting a policy of biodiversity.

“I have contacted DCC asking that every effort is made to carry out works in this graveyard while protecting the natural environment,” he says.

South Dublin County Councillor Francis Timmons, who visits the cemetery as he has family members who are buried there, says Dublin City Council should increase the number of times it maintains the cemetery annually.

“It’s awful to hear that Bluebell cemetery, where my Great Grandparents are buried, is so overgrown.

“This must be sorted ASAP’

“I would appeal to all that have family, friends and loved ones buried there to contact the Council and Graves Department immediately so they can take action to clean up the overgrowth at the cemetery.

“I am calling for immediate action.’’

In August 2018, 23 graves in the cemetery were vandalised in two separate incidents over two nights.

Dublin City Council worked with Gardaí to investigate the incidents, but no one was charged in connection to the crimes.