Victory for Ashbourne families as cemetery gates finally set to open at weekends
Meath County Council has confirmed that vehicular access to St Declan’s Cemetery in Ashbourne will now open at weekends from 8am to 5pm, following a surge of public concern and a petition calling for safer access to the graveyard.
The Council said that Ashbourne Municipal District staff will open the vehicular gates each weekend, and will continue to do so “until the permanent solution is in place.”
Works began last week on the installation of a new automated gate system, which will align St Declan’s with the opening hours of other cemeteries in the county—8.30am to 9pm in summer and 8.30am to 5pm in winter.
The update comes after a growing public backlash over the cemetery’s weekend closures, described by families as creating unsafe conditions and forcing visitors many of them elderly to park along the busy N2 and walk to the entrance.
More than 500 people signed a petition launched by Michelle Matthews, whose 81-year-old father, Tommy, visits the grave of his late wife Mary every day. The couple were married for 61 years before Mary passed away last September.
“The only comfort he has is tending to her grave,” Michelle said. “Seeing him struggle just to visit her at weekends has been heartbreaking. It’s not just about my dad—it’s about every elderly person, every family, everyone with mobility issues who wants safe access.”
Residents have long raised concerns about the lack of safe parking when the internal car park is closed. Michelle warned that the situation was “an accident waiting to happen,” with some motorists attempting to park or reverse on the N2 to get close to the gates.
“Weekends are when most people have the time to visit their loved ones,” Michelle added. “No one should have to risk their life just to pay their respects.”
In a previous response, Meath County Council said it would “review arrangements at St Declan’s Cemetery… with a particular focus on access times.”
The Council’s latest update confirms that work is now underway to address the issue.