Rules and Regulations for the Graveyards in The Parish of Limavady

The graveyards at St Mary’s Church, Christ the King Church, St Finlough’s Church and Roemill provide burial grounds for the bodilyremains and cremated remains of past and present parishioners of the Parish of Drumachose, Tamlaght Finlagan and part of Aghanloo, commonly known as The Parish of Limavady. The right of burial in the graveyards is granted subject to the decrees and canons of the Catholic Church and the rules and regulations of the graveyards in force at any particular time. Title to the graveyards remain in the Parish and all graves and plots are owned by the Parish.

The Parish Priest will have charge of the grounds and buildings including the conduct of funerals, traffic, employees and visitors and at all times will have supervision and control of all persons in the graveyard. The Parish Priest is empowered to enforce all rules and regulations and to exclude from the graveyard any persons violating these.

New Plots

New plots will normally be allocated only for deceased parishioners (past and present). Non-parishioners may be permitted plots in exceptional circumstances. Charges are payable at the current prevailing rate, payment being made through an approved funeral director prior to an interment. Plots may not be “pre-booked”. New graveyard plots will be allocated on the basis of the “next available” according to the graveyard layout. New graveyard plots will not be allocated for the interment of cremated remains, which must be buried in existing graves. The Parish may provide a Columbarium in the future.

Only single graves are permitted. Single graves will be 8 feet (2.44 metres) long, 4 feet (1.22 metres) wide. The depth for opening a grave for the first time shall be 9 feet (2.7 metres).

Although the standard for the digging of new graves will be to provide a capacity for 2 interments, parishioners will be free to request a larger capacity (ie a greater depth) should they wish this.In compliance with the Safety, Health and Welfare Act, 2005, safety shoring equipment will be installed in advance of an internment, where a grave is being dug by mechanical means to a depth greater than 4 feet (1.22 metres). When, as will always be the case when an existing one is being reopened, a grave is being dug by manual means to a depth greater than 4 feet (1.22metres), safety shoring equipment will be installed as the work progresses once the depth of the excavation exceeds 4 feet (1.22 metres). In the interests of safety, the lining of the grave with moss, ferns or any other vegetation is prohibited.

Burials

Burials may take place in the graveyard at a date and time agreed with the Parish Priest. The funeral director must liaise with the Parish Priest or the Parish Office to open up the required grave. A Certificate of Cremation must be presented before any burial of cremated remains can take place. Cremated remains will be contained in a casket, urn or container made of wood, metal or othermaterial sufficiently strong as agreed with the Parish Priest. The scattering of cremated remains within the graveyard will not be permitted under any circumstances.

There is no absolute right to burial for any person in the graveyard: the Parish Priest will have the right to refuse to permit an individual burial at his sole discretion.

After burial, graves will be tidied and left in an acceptable condition by the grave diggers, operatives approved by the Parish Priest but employed by the funeraldirector. The levelling of graves during the period of settlement will be carried out as required.

Memorials

Within the graveyard area, no memorial may be erected without the prior approval of the Parish Priest. Such approval can be sought only after a burial has taken place. The Parish reserves the right to prohibit the erection of any monument, considered by the Parish Priest as inappropriate either in material, workmanship, or location or which might interfere with the general effect or obstruct any principal view of the graveyard. The maximum size of memorial permitted is 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 metres) in height above ground level. Celtic Crosses must be incorporated into the design of the headstone so that the whole headstone does not exceed the limits as set down above. The only memorial stone permitted in the graveyard is a headstone. Kerbstones, kneelers, surrounds, fences, stones etc are not permitted (see below). Any memorial or other item that does not conform to the above may be removed without notice. The headstone must rest on a plinth the dimensions of which shall not exceed 4 feet in length (1.22metres), 1 foot (0.25 metres) in width and 6 inches (150 mm) in thickness. The plinth must rest on a sub-base with the same dimensions but to a maximum thickness of 4 inches (75 mm). The person erecting the headstone is responsible for the removal of all debris resulting from the work and making good any damage done to turf, shrubbery, adjacent graves or plots, paths or other graveyard features at their own expense.

The Parish may prohibit any contractor or workman from working in the graveyard if such a contractor or workman proves to be unreliable or incapable or if they refuse to abide by the rules and regulations.

The Parish accepts no responsibility for memorials or their safety and security. Once a memorial is erected it remains the property of the family of the deceased, who are responsible for maintaining it in a safe condition at all times. If the memorial is damaged or is in a dangerous state and as a result injury is caused to a third party, then the responsibility lies with the family of the deceased.

The Parish is not responsible for damage to monuments or markers caused by water, ground shifting and/or inadequate design and/or defective foundations.

The Parish authorities will carry out periodic risk assessments in the graveyard and should any memorial be found to pose a risk, will inform the family of the deceased who have the responsibility to address the identified problem within a reasonable timescale. In the event that the memorial has not been restored to a safe condition within a reasonable timescale,the Parish Priest reserves the right to move, remove and take away such memorial. Should the Parish incur costs in making safe or removing memorials then it reserves the right to make a charge upon the family of the deceased.

Care of graves

No item is permitted to be placed in the lawned areas between the rows of headstones, and any such item (or any item that may interfere with the grounds maintenance of any area within the graveyard) may be removed without notice by the Parish. The introduction of any item that hinders the proper maintenance of the graveyard is not permitted. Examples of “non-permitted items” are: statues (excepts when placed on the headstone plinth), chains or fences or dug borders around graves. Similarly vases, flowers, plants, ornaments of any description, gravel and kerbstones are not permitted outside the area of the headstone.

No trees or shrubs may be planted in the graveyard and no seats or benches are allowed. Graveyard users are asked to keep the graveyard clean and tidy and are specifically required to remove their own items (eg, floral tributes, wreaths and plants) from grave areas when decayed or faded.

No animals are allowed in the graveyards except in the case of guide dogs.

Graveyard Fees

The cost of interment is payable to the funeral director.

Note:

The Parish Priest may amend these regulations at any time or add new regulations in the interests of the good management and maintenance of the graveyard.

June 2022

Please Respect Our Graveyard

• put all waste in bins
• remove all withered wreaths and flowers
• keep grass trimmed
• no animals allowed, except for guide dogs