Kerry graveyard under water

The locals are set to appeal directly to Minister of State Brian Hayes, who is to visit the town today, for flood alleviation measures for their graveyard.

Graves have been under several inches of water since the recent bad weather.

Kilbannivane new cemetery has now become so waterlogged newly-dug graves have to be pumped out in order to facilitate burials.

Fine Gael councillor Bobby O'Connell said there was an ongoing issue with a nearby river, the Glanshearoon, a tributary of the Maine which flows through Castleisland.

“This is very emotional for a lot of people and it is something that has to be corrected,” Mr O’Connell, a former mayor of Kerry said.

Kerry County Council said it was aware of the problem and was trying to engineer long as well as short-term alleviation measures.

Meanwhile sandbags were being made available throughout Kerry yesterday, in advance of what is expected to be severe weather again this weekend.