Memorial benches ‘disappear’ from cemetery as family hit out over ‘lack of respect’

The council has confirmed it has ‘no record’ of the amount of memorial benches it has disposed of.

An unknown amount of graveyard benches at a Lisburn cemetery have “disappeared” with claims the council has not told a local family about the disposal of their late father’s memorial.

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has now confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that it has not kept records of the amount of benches it has dumped.

A local family set to remember the 18th anniversary of the late Alexander McIlroy, 62, this week have said the council has “no respect for grieving families”.

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Daughter Sinéad Mulholland said:”At no point were we notified of any change, or of our bench’s removal. Even if such a policy exists, surely families should be contacted first.

“We’re deeply upset that it was removed without any notice, especially before we had the chance to spruce it up again.

“I believe the removal of benches is just one of many issues of concern at Blaris cemetery. “For our family, however, the distress is made worse by the timing, as this realisation about my father’s missing bench comes only days before the 18th anniversary of his passing on 11 September.”

She added: “My late father, Alexander McIlroy, is buried at Blaris cemetery. Eighteen years ago, a bench was donated in his memory through contributions from both family members and close friends.

“At the time, we were told the council would take responsibility for maintenance, and that the bench might occasionally be removed for treatment.

“To my knowledge, my father’s bench was structurally sound and only needed repainting. “We were never informed that it had been removed, stored, or disposed of, nor were we given the opportunity to retrieve the plaque.

“Over the years this only happened once, and because it was rare, our family managed the general upkeep ourselves.

“However, around two years ago, the bench disappeared. At first, we assumed it had been taken for treatment again, but it was never returned.”

A council director told the LCCC chamber earlier this month that the removal of memorial benches would form part of a conversation around gaining new burial plot spaces.

The controversial move was mooted on September 3, just days after the family of a local Liverpool fan Robbie Fleming said it would be “heart breaking” if their son’s memorial bench was taken away from them.

The emotive policy brought local concern after council CEO David Burns warned families in chambers that memorial benches not maintained will be “removed”.

Sinéad said: “I contacted the cemeteries’ office twice, once in 2024 and again in July this year, but received no reply and no explanation about what had happened.

“It appears the council is considering removing all unmaintained benches without any communication with families.

“It is also unclear when this policy came into effect, especially given that the council had previously taken my father’s bench away for treatment.

“My elderly mum used it often when we visited. She’s very upset that it’s gone, especially given the cost and the fact that the money came from donations by family and close friends of Daddy.

“Our experience suggests this process has already been happening, in practice, for at least two years without transparency or respect for grieving families.”

A spokesperson for Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council said:”The council has rules and regulations for its cemeteries and these were last updated and approved in September 2024. “There are currently 136 memorial benches in Blaris cemetery.

“A decision was taken in 2015 to stop maintaining memorial benches and this responsibility rests with the family.

“In line with these regulations we have, on occasion, had to remove memorial benches in a state of disrepair and unsafe to sit on.

“We retain any memorial plaque, where they are present, from a removed bench in our cemeteries’ office for collection by a loved one, but have no record of the number of benches removed. Unfortunately, in 2022 the bench in memory of Alexander McIlroy was removed due to it being in a state of disrepair.”

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