Proposal to tackle difficulty opening graves at Mayo cemetery

The difficulty in opening graves in Breaffy Cemetery, Castlebar, due to huge boulders under the surface, is to be addressed by Mayo County Council.

Two potentially feasible options have emerged from a review by the authority.

A report on the matter explained: "The first option is to excavate the total remaining area of the cemetery in lines in order to remove any boulders and large rocks, and backfill with the excavated soil.

"There is the potential that the soil would require shoring up when re- excavating individual burial plots to prevent collapse.

"In addition to these safety concerns of collapse of the excavations, there would be additional costs associated with the shoring equipment, along with a certain level of expertise required in its use.

"The second option considered would be a requirement that all new openings would be excavated as a double plot initially, removing all boulders and large stones encountered.

"This may require the use of a mechanical excavator if large boulders were encountered, but would address any issues with additional openings of the plot into the future.

"This option would add some additional cost to the initial plot opening and would also be dependent on there being space to accommodate the mechanical excavator.

"Both options offer viable solutions to address the challenges posed by boulders and large rocks within the Breaffy Cemetery.

"Option 1 has been trialled in two graveyards in the West Mayo Municipal District where they have excavated the next line of burial plots in advance, and early indications are that it is working well.

"From discussions with our colleagues in Westport, they have avoided the need for shoring up the individual plots, but this may just be because of the local soil conditions.

"It is recommended that option 1 is trialled in Breaffy along the next new line of burial plots to evaluate its effectiveness in the local context."