It is unlikely that any of you have visited this historic cemetery because it has been closed to the opening of new graves for close to 150 years and over that period there was a very limited number of new burials. My understanding was that the cemetery had been closed to visitors [except by appointment] since the 1900s.

I had a chat with a very helpful member of staff and he explained that the cemetery was very badly neglected and that a large number of graves had been vandalised but that the restoration staff had been able to restore the majority of them as the gravestones had not been shattered.

However, the anti-social activity has been serious and ongoing. For example I came across the following report dated March 16 2016: “Up to 13 gravestones were vandalised at a cemetery in Dublin in the last week, including that of W.T. Cosgrave. The Trust said. Cosgrave’s gravestone was previously destroyed in October 2014.” [ NOTE: W.T. Cosgrave served as president of the Executive Council of Irish Free State (the first Prime Minister of Ireland].

Another report dated August 14 2015: “Up to 27 monuments at the Goldenbridge cemetery in Dublin have been destroyed in recent days by vandals who knocked over headstones smashing some into pieces.”

Goldenbridge is a 19th century ‘garden’ cemetery. After the passing of the 'Act of Easement of Burial Bills' in 1824 a committee was established to administer the proposed cemetery. The cemetery was purchased in 1828 and the first burial took place on the 15th October of that year.

Last year it was reopened and family graves are now available if you wish to be buried there.

There are 4,250 graves in the cemetery of which 498 have been identified as available for purchase at this time.

Goldenbridge cemetery has been designated by Glasnevin Trust as a conservation cemetery. In order to preserve the character and ambience of the cemetery, there are rules apply to the type of monument that can be placed on family graves.