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Burial Plots - records from 19th C

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  • 30-08-2017 10:33pm
    #1
    BottleOfSmoke
    Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭


    I'm trying to solve a 19th century riddle of the relationship of a small number of people in the same townland with the same unusual surname. It occurred to me that if I could identify groupings in burial plots, this would greatly help.
    In the local RC graveyard, I know that there are several burials in the 20th C that do not have a headstone, or the headstone is now obliterated. These were subsistence farmers, so I think the earlier ancestors may also be buried there with no headstone. I certainly can't find them.
    Do RC churches keep records of the actual plots from 19th C? Would they be open to general research? It's not a big cemetery, and I'd love to leaf through all records looking for the surname. Is that a pipe dream?
    I sent a general email to a contact address listed on the diocesan website, but I'm not even sure what I'm asking for. An index of who is in which plots, I guess.
    I'm not a church-goer, is it appropriate to hang around after a service and approach the local priest? I did go into this small rural church on a weekday, but nobody was around.
    Or should I be approaching the bishop's office? Sorry - I have no real clue of how church administration works!


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    #2
    KildareFan
    Registered Users Posts: 683 ✭✭✭KildareFan


    If the cemetery is still in use it might be useful to contact the local undertaker to find out where the burial records are located.


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    #3
    pinkypinky
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,644 Mod ✭✭✭✭pinkypinky


    You need to determine who is in charge of the cemetery upkeep. Check the local council's website to see if it's them.

    I'd ring the parish office next to ask them. Usually there's someone there on weekday mornings.

    Most churches do not entertain people doing research in their records in person anymore.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



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