Volunteer group working to clear historic Abbey Graveyard interior

By Rebekah O'Reilly

A group of six local volunteers has taken on the mammoth task of clearing the historic Abbey Church in Athlone.

The landmark site has become overgrown in recent years and has also been plagued by anti-social behaviour, prompting criticism from local residents and public representatives.

Speaking at an Athlone Municipal District meeting earlier this year, Cllr Frankie Keena described the graveyard’s current condition as “sad and concerning”.

“As a proud Athlone man, it is sad and concerning to see its current condition inside the church walls. It is a beautiful and historic building, and a listed building, so the local authority has a responsibility to maintain its condition,” he said.

Cllr Keena confirmed that funding had been allocated by the local authority to upgrade certain pathways leading to the church, where visitors can view an array of headstones. However, he also acknowledged the need to explore a short-term solution for the interior of the church.

“The church itself has unfortunately become a place for anti-social and unsavoury behaviours,” he said.

Now, in recent weeks, six local volunteers have joined forces to clean up the interior of the iconic Athlone monument, having liaised with Westmeath County Council Heritage Officer Melanie McQuade.

Volunteers Sandra Clarke, Anthony Merrigan, Pat Brill, Nuala Fynn, Paddy Costello, and Vivian Allan DSouza have spent the last three weekends transforming the grounds from an overgrown jungle of weeds into a cleaner space for the community to enjoy.

“I saw people online talking about the state of the graveyard, and I said why not do something about it,” said Sandra, organiser of the Abbey Graveyard volunteers group.

“There was a huge response, and people were really interested in getting involved. We met with Melanie in the Radisson Hotel and she was telling us about health and safety. People have to be fully covered, and we're not allowed to pull any of the ivy in case it damages the structure.”

The volunteers meet every Saturday and Sunday from 11am, bringing their own tools to carry out the work. Athlone Tidy Towns has also donated litter pickers and rubbish bags to support the clean-up.

“When we opened the gate, the bushes were grown over our heads. We got one side cut down over the first two weekends, so we are making progress,” Sandra said.

“We intend to continue working in the Abbey Graveyard indefinitely to keep it clean and tidy. It's a commitment. We're not experts, we're just ordinary people doing our part.”

Sandra also praised council staff for supporting the clean-up by removing bags of rubbish and weeds, while thanking everyone who has donated gardening tools.

The group is now appealing for more volunteers to come forward and help with the ongoing work at the historic site.

Anyone interested in getting involved is invited to join the clean-up on Saturday or Sunday mornings from 11am, or to connect with the Abbey Graveyard group on Facebook.