Dear Editor,
The question of a dignified place of burial for the skeleton remains which were unearthed in the grounds of the new MacDonagh junction shopping complex still remains an important and vital question on the minds of nearly every citizen within the city and county of Kilkenny.
This is a very sensitive issue and should remain of paramount importance to Kilkenny Local Authorities. I believe a dignified burial within the grounds of a local cemetery is the best option, ie, St Kieran’s Cemetery, as this is a proper consecrated burial ground instead of just a proposed crypt at MacDonagh Junction itself.
The deceased remains were originally meant to be buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, but due to the already near capacity of the cemetery, this could not take place and the deceased remains were then ordered to be buried by the then clergyman Dean Vignoles in 1846 at the now MacDonagh Junction site.
The time has now come to do justice to the deceased and place them at a proper cemetery location within the city.
I believe that as a mark of respect to our rich history in Kilkenny city and on the site of this new shopping complex which is MacDonagh Junction, a new dedicated museum should be erected to all things past and present in relation to the new complex, the importance of workhouse and the old central hospital and the old railway station house and of course the deceased and their remains.
A dedicated museum could and should honour all of this and much more.
Yours,
JJ Connelly
(Address with editor
