Where rich and poor are brought down to earth - Irish Architectural News

Newsletters Subscription

Where rich and poor are brought down to earth

Archiseek / Ireland / News / 2001 / November 4 2001: Where rich and poor are brought down to earth

Once a year, Ireland's national necropolis Glasnevin Cemetery employs security guards to protect its 1.2m inhabitants. Every Halloween there are spirited entry attempts by cider- drinkers and teenage goths. The worst one can expect is a displaced tombstone, a far cry from the body-snatching years in the 1830s. Then, security consisted of musket-toting guards, bloodhounds, 14ft walls and watchtowers. Before Glasnevin, Catholics and the poor were forced to bury their dead in fields, such as Bully's Acre at Kilmainham, where grave-robbers roamed free.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the original story which was a working link at the time of publication may be no longer available on the newspaper site. In that case, the dates and headline of the story will allow you to research the original through your local library. In addition, some newspaper sites may require registration, either at a cost or free.