Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin Ireland: Resting and Walking Place

Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin Ireland: Resting and Walking Place

Glasnevin Cemetery is a "garden cemetery," meaning that it is open to the public (for free) to walk around and enjoy the scenery. The cemetery is very large as it is a resting place for over one million people, although apparently almost 3/4 of these are unmarked graves.

Another fun fact is that traditionally grave digging was an act that was passed down from father to son. Currently most of the graves here are dug by excavators but some are still dug using the former method.

Glasnevin opened in 1832 and was Ireland's first non-denominational cemetery. This is pretty significant given the historical rift between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland. Being baptized as Catholic myself, it was interesting to find out that before 1829 Catholics were denied many basic rights in Ireland, extra fees had to be paid for burial, and Catholic prayers were not allowed to be said at the gravesite. Knowing this gave me a deeper sense of appreciation for the cemetery as well as my own faith and religious freedom. It truly is a privilege that admittedly I often forget about.

Although it may seem strange for some people to visit a cemetery for fun, it was actually quite interesting and nothing less than spectacular to behold. Pictures simply could not possibly capture the overwhelming number of graves. Also, many of the headstones are carved so intricately that it is easy to get lost in the endless tiny details waiting around each turn.

Something that surprised me was how calm and happy I was while exploring. Normally I would think of a graveyard as ominous or creepy, but this place was so beautiful that I felt light-hearted and free.

Conveniently the cemetery is also connected to the Dublin Botanical Garden (also free). I would definitely recommend this site to anyone in the area, especially if you are on a budget or like to escape the hustle of the city every once in a while.