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Gravespace Payment

You can buy a grave space in a local authority burial ground.

About Burial Grounds

The Council provides and maintains Burial Grounds around the County of Tipperary.
Listed below are the list of Burial Grounds owned by Tipperary County Council and a list of local contact details for the Caretakers of Tipperary who look after our Burial Grounds located in the five Municipal Districts.

Burial Ground Regulations

  1. A person seeking a burial ground space must contact the Registrar of the burial ground who will then allocate a space to him/her.
  2. Where there is no Registrar for the burial grounds, then a person seeking a burial plot must contact the Environment Section of the County Council on 0818 06 5000 who will then allocate a space to him/her.
  3. All grave spaces will be 3m long x 1.25m wide (including headstone foundation). In burial grounds where back to back rows of grave spaces are set out and identified by markers, no plot shall be opened prior to contacting the relevant Caretaker to ensure proper alignment and positioning of each plot.
  4. In order to ensure uniformity of development of burial grounds, grave spaces will be sold in the event of death only. However, in special circumstances, members of the same family of a deceased person will be allowed to purchase a maximum of 2 grave spaces.
  5. Interment will not be the responsibility of Tipperary County Council. Grave spaces however, must be dug in accordance with these Regulations. The first opening of each grave is to be carried out by a mini excavator, perpendicular depth of a minimum of 2.4m.
  6. No grave shall be re-opened within 14 years after the burial of a person over 12 years of age, or within 8 years after a person under 12 years of age, unless to bury a member of the same family, in which case a layer of earth not less than 300mm shall be left undisturbed above the previous coffin. If on re-opening any grave the soil is offensive, such soil shall not be disturbed. In no case shall human remains be disturbed.
  7. No coffin shall be buried in any unwalled grave, unless the upper surface of it is at least 1.2m below the level of the ground.
  8. Kerbstones or any other form of delineation will not be allowed in the following burial grounds – Emly, Clonoulty, Annacarty, Cahir, Ballingarry, Cappawhite, Newcastle (New) and Knockavilla. In burial grounds where back to back rows of grave spaces are set out and identified by markers, no plot shall be opened prior to contacting the relevant Caretaker to ensure proper alignment and positioning of each plot.
  9. In all other cases, kerbstones will be allowed. Kerbstones shall be precast and be made of marble or limestone, constructed on an adequate concrete foundation base. No kerbstone shall be more than 6’ above ground level. Chippings will be allowed on top of grave spaces between kerbstones.. In burial grounds where back to back rows of grave spaces are set out and identified by markers, no plot shall be opened prior to contacting the relevant Caretaker to ensure proper alignment and positioning of each plot.
  10. Headstones shall not exceed 1.5m in height or 1.2m in width. Where headstone foundations are not provided, the foundations shall be 225mm wide x 250mm deep, constructed in good quality concrete. Prior to the erection of any headstone, permission must be sought from the Environment Section of Tipperary County Council. Details of the headstone to be erected should be submitted, preferably through the Monument Sculpturer who is going to erect same. No headstone should be erected until permission is given. The maximum height of a headstone will be 2.1m in the case of a Celtic Cross. The headstone to be erected should not contrast in size, to any great extent, with headstones on adjoining plots.
  11. The cost of a grave space in burial grounds constructed by the Local Authority since 1955 shall be as determined by the Council from time to time.
  12. The owner of a grave space will be fully responsible for the maintenance of his/her plot also ensuring that all rubble and debris which results in the opening of the grave is removed.