Patriot graves are shamefully neglected

THE old adage of not speaking ill of the dead was correctly upheld immediately following the death of former Taoiseach Charles J Haughey.

On the day before, however, on visiting Glasnevin cemetery I couldn’t help but notice that similar reverence has not been bestowed on the statesmen and women of an earlier era. This was my first visit to the cemetery and I was really disappointed to see the lack of respect for the site, which is in very poor condition. Black mould on the crypt of Daniel O’Connell and cigarette butts on the site of those interred there from Kilmainham jail, to give but two galling examples.

I am unaware of the resources allocated to the site, or with whom the responsibility lays, but the current situation is a national embarrassment.

The Parisian authorities employ people to maintain and secure the Père Lachaise graveyard in which Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde are buried. Surely it would be a decent and respectful thing to provide a similar service in Ireland to maintain the graveyard of the founding fathers of the State.

In these days of multimillion euro National Development Plan projects, allowing Glasnevin to be desecrated is simply unacceptable. I’d imagine even tourists from abroad visiting the cemetery would easily see through our republican rhetoric.

Modern statesmen like Mr Haughey (whatever their flaws) should be commemorated with the respect they deserve, as well as the patriots buried in Glasnevin.

Shaun Gavigan

2 Zuma Terrace

Harolds Cross

Dublin 6