JANUARY 2020 VISIT MORE THAN 100 PHOTOGRAPHS

THE RISE THE FALL AND THE RESTORATION OF A VICTORIAN CEMETERY [MOUNT JEROME IN HAROLD'S CROSS]

In many ways this is the most interesting old cemetery in Ireland and it is well worth a visit.

Back in 1979 I lived beside Mount Jerome cemetery and considered it to be a horrible depressing place. Even though three family members were buried there I did not visit it between 1980 and 2001. It is popular for Humanist Funerals and over the last ten years I have attended about fifteen funerals there but most were cremated or buried elsewhere.

Many of the monuments in Mount Jerome are not Christian and I would describe them as pagan classical (Roman) or Egyptian. Compared to other cemeteries in Dublin there are few Celtic crosses. It would appear that the purpose of many of the monuments was to proclaim how important the person had been in life [many were of note and more than a few were less inclined to boast].

Trees and ivy slowly took over and burrowing roots toppled monuments. The once boastful display of wealth and status became a junkyard and remaining gems were vandalised. In 1984 it was put into voluntary liquidation.

However with new owners in 1998 and the opening of a Crematorium in 2000, revenues recovered enough to allow a proper ongoing restoration and maintenance program that should prevent it falling into decline again.

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