The late Joe Dolan with Keith Duffy (then an ambassador for autism charities) at the opening of the new Westmeath Examiner offices in 2006. Joe started his working life as a compositor at the Westmeath Examiner. His grave at Walshestown is attracting increasing numbers of visitors, putting pressure

Joe Dolan fans causing car park crisis

Published: Wed 24 May 2017, 4:51 PM

Last updated: Wed 24 May 2017, 5:14 PM

The increased traffic that Walshestown Cemetery is experiencing, due to the fact that the late Joe Dolan is buried there, is causing an issue at the church, Cllr Andrew Duncan has revealed.

At the most recent meeting of Mullingar Municipal District, he asked that the District upgrade the car park at Walshestown Church to facilitate the increased levels of visitors.

The Fine Gael man was informed that the car park at Walshestown Church is owned and maintained by the parish and not the municipal district.

However, he responded by stating that the cemetery is visited now by a large number of tourists and the result is a consequent “upsurge” in usage of the parking facility.

Cllr Duncan said the parish and the group in Walshestown that maintains the graveyard are simply not able to fund a larger car park, and he wondered if there was anything that the county council could do.

Responding, director of services Martin Murray said that the only funding available for cemeteries at the moment is a €10,000 fund for upgrading and enhancing certain elements of graveyards, but he did not believe this fund was available for works to car parks.

He suggested that Cllr Duncan raise the matter again with the parish and see if they had any lands they can acquire for parking of if they could come up with any other suggestion themselves.