Mourners who visit a Kerry graveyard are being “intimidated” by a gang of drug users who demand money from them, a local councillor has complained. 

Antisocial behaviour at Rath Cemetery in Tralee is nothing new; however, independent Tralee Cllr Sam Locke said in recent months it has become “out of control”. 

On The Pat Kenny Show, Cllr Locke said the problem has become so serious they need the Government to intervene. 

“It’s an historical church that is owned and maintained by the Office of Public Works,” he explained. 

“But the cemetery is open to all and it’s now a situation where An Garda Síochána don’t have the manpower to go in there on a regular basis to examine the area. 

“We’ve been calling for CCTV to be introduced there for a number of years but that hasn’t come to play. 

“We have certain individuals now that created a ganglike situation where they are intimidating a lot of patrons going in and trying to tap them for money. 

“Kerry County Council have done everything in their power to try and maintain it.” 

Cost

Cllr Locke described Rath Cemetery as a “massive graveyard” and estimated it would cost €250,000 to fully enclose it. 

He added that Kerry County Council does not have the budget for such an extensive piece of work. 

“It should be fenced off in a way so that the general population would not have clear access into this particular monument,” he said. 

“If that was done, that may be the safety aspect where they would not be able to congregate; that they would be out in the open and they would have no safe haven to hide and do their drug paraphernalia. 

“That I will be addressing at our next council meeting and hopefully we will try and force the Office of Public Works to enclose this particular structure.”

The OPW has been contacted for comment.

Main image: A graveyard. Picture by: Alamy.com.