Councillor calls for altar clean-up

AN ENNIS town councillor is calling on Clare County Council to repair and clean up the altar in Drumcliffe Cemetery as a matter of urgency.
Councillor Frankie Neylon said that the altar in the cemetery has been in place for almost 30 years and he doesn’t believe it has ever been cleaned up or maintained in that time.
“It’s in bad need of work now. I’ve been calling for this over the past few years, particularly coming up to the month of November each year. It’s a stone altar, with a timber crucifixion. The altar needs to be sandblasted and painted and the crucifixion needs maintenance work too,” Councillor Neylon said.
He added that he had raised the issue at Ennis Town Council meetings in the past but had on all occasions been told it was Clare County Council’s responsibility.
“I was under the impression that the town council had raised the issue with Clare County Council but still the work remains undone. It’s a relatively small job and would take no more than two days. I don’t see that it would cost too much money to do it anyway,” he commented.
He pointed out the people who have loved ones buried in the cemetery are anxious that the altar is improved before the blessing of the graves in November.
“November, which starts with the Feast of the Old Souls, is a month when people spend more time than usual in the graveyard. Many people in particular tidy up graves prior to the Blessing of the Graves each November, so it would be right to have the altar in good condition. I am calling on the council to make sure the necessary work is done in time for this November,” Councillor Neylon added.