Coosan Cemetery extension may be in place by end of this year

A meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District was told last week that an extension to Coosan Cemetery may be in place by the end of the year.

Athlone Mayor Cllr Frankie Keena sought a full report on what progress is being made to extend the cemetery, and he also wanted to know if any new graves could be opened there.

Director of Services Jackie Finney said that while there was still “a certain amount of space” and green areas in the cemetery, discussions were “ongoing” in relation to providing an extension there.

“We hope that, by the end of the year, this situation will be sorted with an extension to the cemetery,” she told the meeting.

The written answer to Cllr Keena's question said the municipal district is currently investigating options to address the “future anticipated capacity concerns” in Coosan Cemetery, and added that a further update will be given to members “once all options have been considered”.

Former Athlone councillor Kevin 'Boxer' Moran told last July's meeting of Westmeath County Council that Coosan Cemetery was “rapidly running out of space” and was “down to the last three rows”.

He made a plea for the cemetery to be extended and said it had been four years since concerns were raised at council level about capacity in Coosan.

Council CEO Barry Kehoe told Cllr Moran at the time that the local authority was aware of the urgency of the situation and that staff in the Athlone Moate Municipal District were “working on a resolution.”

He added that negotiations were underway on a possible extension, and also on an alternative.