On Thursday 15th December Limerick County Council held its annual burial ground awards ceremony. This ceremony celebrates the work of voluntary committees in council graveyards throughout the county. Each year the council tries to support the local burial ground committees by means of a modest grant. This year over a 100 groups maintaining 162 burial grounds received aid. In 2006 it was decided to inaugurate an awards system with the aim of highlighting and rewarding groups who have shown particular commitment and initiative in following best practice in their work, but the awards are an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the efforts of all groups. The burial grounds are judged in two categories Ancient and Modern and different criteria apply.

Each year there has been a guest speaker and at this year’s Awards Night we were privileged to listen to a tour de force presentation by Dolores O’Shea from “Ireland Reaching Out”.