St. Patrick's - Layout
Finding your way...
The cemetery is laid out in a grid format, with all graves facing to the East - towards the rising sun. The main entrance, on the Waterford Road, is the southern entrance.
The starting point for the grid counting system is at the South Western corner, so, at the front gate, turn sharply left and walk to the end of the path. That is the starting point, (i.e. if you want to do it the hard way). It is hard because there is no "A1" plot from which to begin counting, due to the path you walked along having been inserted (taking up 3 Number Rows), and due to the uneven border at that side of the site. See later down the page, under Grave Letters, for more information.
The Grave Numbers
The graves are NUMBERED in the South-north direction, i.e. going towards the back of the cemetery. The labelling is from plot number 4 to approx 152 on the left side, and plot number 2 to 154 on the right. Every time you reach a path, add 3 to the number, as the path width takes up 3 grave widths. The resulting number is the start number for the next section.
In other words,
section1 starts at plot number 4,
sections 2 &7 start at plot number 54,
sections 3 & 6 start at plot number 89,
sections 4 & 5 start at plot number 124.
Section 8 starts at plot number 2.
The Grave Letters
The grave lengths count from West-East.
The first 4 Plots are intended to be lettered:A,Aa,Ab,Ac. *** But see below.
The next 4 rows are lettered B,Ba,Bb,Bc
The next 4 rows are lettered C,Ca,Cb,Cc
The next 4 are rows lettered D,Da,Db,Dc, and so on.
*** Sections 1, 2, 3 & 4 do not begin counting from "A", as follows:
- Section 1 begins at Ba - it has just 2 graves at rows 49 Ba and 50 Ba..
- Sections 2 and 4 begin at B
- Section 3 begins at Ab
An example may help.
Say the Plot is 81 IC.
Since plot number 81 is in section 2, count from the section 2 starting number - i.e. number 54, until plot number 81 is reached ( i.e. 28 plot numbers later). P.S. You must walk towards the rear of the cemetery.
Now for the Plot Letters....
Section 2 plot letters for this section begin at letter B, so begin counting from Row B. - ( B, Ba, Bb, Bc, etc.)
You will arrive at plot letter Ic, and find that plot letter Ic is directly alongside the central pathway of the cemetery. One plot in from that is Ib, then Ia, then I, and so on. In reality, it is easier to count backwards from the central pathway if searching the left side of the cemetery. You then count Ic, Ib, Ia, I, Hc, etc.