Sunday School built over graves causes unholy row in Galway village

An unholy row has erupted between Catholics and Protestants amid claims of desecration of old graves in a County Galway village.

Some Catholics in Ardrahan are angry with the Church of Ireland for building a Sunday school on an old burial ground.

Rector George Flynn has been urged by local Cllr Joe Byrne to remove the building, which is built on bones and beside Catholic graves.

The new building was granted full planning permission by Galway County Council in 2012, and there were no objections lodged to the plans at the time.

But Pauline Bermingham Scully says locals are “appalled and bitterly disappointed” that graves were disturbed when the school was “erected over Catholic burial spaces”.

Rev Flynn said: “I’m very upset that they are upset.  It is heartbreaking.”

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.