Blessing of the Graves at the Castletown Graveyard

Thanks to Anthony O’Hagan who mailed us through pictures of the blessing of the graves ceremony at the old Castletown Graveyard from last Thursday.

Anthony had this to say about the annual event: “In sharp contrast to the blessings of the grave ceremony which takes place in Dowdallshill cemetery the one at Castletown was very low key with the faces of those attending getting noticeably older and the crowd getting smaller each year.

“Also in sharp contrast to its appearance in recent years the graveyard was looking very well maintained by the community scheme employed there. That this cleanup is being appreciated by quite a number of people is evident by the renewed interest being shown by locals and others in reclaiming part of their family inheritance – taking pride by visiting and sprucing up the last resting place of often forgotten family members.”

It used to be said that you weren’t truly from Dundalk if you didn’t have a relative in this graveyard on the Castleblayney Road.

Pictured is a local priest with Joe Mellon.

The Blessing of the Graves

 

Thanks to Anthony O’Hagan for sharing this picture of the recent Blessing of the Graves ceremony in the old Castletown Graveyard on the Castleblayney Road.

It’s shocking to see how overgrown the graveyard has become, with the priest struggling to perform his duties on the day despite it being good weather-wise.

Surely something should be done about this, especially as it is the town’s original graveyard!