I VISITED ON THE 18Th MARCH 2008
Revisiting my March 2008 visit to Glasnevin Cemetery, I recall a conscious shift in my approach. Usually when photographing graveyards, I steer clear of newer sections, respecting the privacy of those grieving recent losses. However, that day, I ventured into these areas to capture the sheer scale of this vast cemetery and document some of its more controversial features.
One such feature is the Holy Angels Plot, a poignant reminder of a bygone era. Until the 1970s, it served as the final resting place for over fifty thousand infants, a rarity among cemeteries that often denied stillborn babies consecrated ground.
Years later, in 2014, I learned of the plot's closure due to reaching capacity. A new site was established at Newlands Cross Cemetery, complete with a purpose-built chapel to provide a private space for families to mourn and remember their lost children.
Many of my 2008 photographs, though unpublished to respect those in mourning, serve as a historical record of this significant plot. They capture the rows of tiny headstones, each a testament to a life cut tragically short, and offer a glimpse into a practice that, while now discontinued, holds a poignant place in the cemetery's history.
One such feature is the Holy Angels Plot, a poignant reminder of a bygone era. Until the 1970s, it served as the final resting place for over fifty thousand infants, a rarity among cemeteries that often denied stillborn babies consecrated ground.
Years later, in 2014, I learned of the plot's closure due to reaching capacity. A new site was established at Newlands Cross Cemetery, complete with a purpose-built chapel to provide a private space for families to mourn and remember their lost children.
Many of my 2008 photographs, though unpublished to respect those in mourning, serve as a historical record of this significant plot. They capture the rows of tiny headstones, each a testament to a life cut tragically short, and offer a glimpse into a practice that, while now discontinued, holds a poignant place in the cemetery's history.
I VISITED ON THE 18Th MARCH 2008