Cemetery CCTV won’t be used to catch people damaging graves
CCTV cameras are being installed at St Mary’s Cemetery starting this week as part of Carlow County Council’s efforts to combat illegal dumping and littering, but bereaved families say the surveillance system won’t address their main concern – damage to graves and wider antisocial behaviour.
Ian, who doesn’t want his full name used, visits St Mary’s regularly to see his parents’ grave. He says the family grave was damaged by others visiting the cemetery, having been driven over by a Jeep. One of the granite corner blocks was badly chipped.
“We’ll have to replace that now because once the frost sets in, it’ll settle into the granite and crack it,” he said.
Ian claims he has a “fair idea” who damaged the grave, but doesn’t have any proof.
He said: “I spoke to someone in the council and I asked what could be done; they said it’s no different than a car being parked down the town and getting damaged because, if there’s no witness, there’s nothing you can do.
“We’re quite fortunate compared to the damage you can see done to two other graves; ours was more minimal compared to theirs. There’s one where the curbing has been completely knocked off,” he added.
There is also an element of antisocial behaviour, as Ian describes people coming into the cemetery “eating McDonald’s there, having drinks and leaving beer cans around”.
It’s not merely the littering aspect but the act of eating, smoking and drinking beer in a graveyard that Ian says is disrespectful to others.
He also describes other littering, including copious amounts of cigarette butts that end up being blown around by the wind, ending up strewn across the path as well as on many graves.
However, Ian was told the CCTV won’t be directly used in cases of damage to graves.
“I was advised by the council that the CCTV won’t be used in case of damage. It’s only to stop dumping,” claims Ian. “If there was damage done and I wanted CCTV, I’d have to contact An Garda Síochána to get a Pulse number from the case that was opened and then they could look for the CCTV. So it’s not actually been installed for damage; it’s been installed for dumping.”
The council confirmed to that it had received reports of anti-social behaviour in the cemetery, adding that “there are ongoing issues with regard to littering and illegal dumping in St Mary’s Cemetery. It is the intention that the CCTV scheme will address these issues”.
It was also confirmed that a report was received of a Jeep being driven over a grave: “On occasion, Carlow County Council receives reports of minor damage to graves throughout the cemetery caused by vehicles.”
When asked about the installation of CCTV in St Mary’s Cemetery, the council said it has “recently completed a comprehensive process to install a CCTV scheme for the primary purpose of preventing litter and illegal dumping and enforcement of the , as amended, and the , as amended”.
The CCTV scheme is scheduled to begin installation in St Mary’s and five other locations starting from this week.
The other locations are Tullow recycling centre; Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs Mountains; The Laurels housing estate; Hacketstown bottle banks; and the Barrow Track car park.
When asked if the CCTV would be used for security purposes, the council said that these cameras “are for the sole and primary purpose of preventing litter and illegal dumping”.
The council clarified, as Ian was told, that An Garda Síochána may request CCTV footage for the purposes of the investigation of a crime and that “there are a number of data protection safeguards in place where this type of request is made”.
Back in June, Carlow County Council had acknowledged “a number of issues concerning St Mary’s Cemetery”, when a detailed update about plans for addressing this issue was delivered to Carlow Municipal District members.
Currently, there is no groundskeeper, but the council said that “a full-time, dedicated cemetery caretaker will be employed in St Mary’s Cemetery from January 2026”.
Meanwhile, Ian and others feel the impact of this antisocial behaviour: “I’d imagine there are people who would’ve gone there regularly that now probably avoid going up there by themselves. If I was an older member of society, I wouldn’t go there by myself. I’d find it very intimidating.
“I actually just said to my wife today when we were at St Mary’s: I’ve never wanted to get cremated but if the only other option is to be buried here, you can cremate me.”
