Council approves new Abbeyfeale burial ground at Knockbrack

County Limerick Council has approved a Part 8 planning application for a new cemetery and car park at Knockbrack on the outskirts of Abbeyfeale.

Representatives from the Newcastle West Municipal District met in a special session to discuss the two‑hectare site, which will provide 1 600 burial plots, a columbarium wall with 350 niches for cremation urns, and a car park serving the existing Greenway and burial ground. Traffic‑calming measures and new signage on the R524 are also part of the proposal.

The development is designed as a parkland landscape, with semi‑mature trees at the corners of each sector, internal pathways, and a Remembrance Garden on an elevated area that will link visually with the civic plaza of the Greenway Hub.

Local councillors have highlighted the need for additional burial space for over a decade, noting that the existing Reilig Íde Naofa cemetery on Hill Road, opened in 1962, is nearing capacity after accommodating an estimated 2 500 plots. The new site is intended to relieve the “crisis waiting to happen” cited by elected representatives.

Cllr Liam Galvin, chair of the district, welcomed the decision, describing it as a long‑awaited solution after extensive site testing and community pressure, including from local undertaker James Hartnett.

Source: Limerick Post. Photo: Tanita Lupa / Pexels.