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Glasnevin Trust CEO George McCullough, who started with the Trust 25 years ago and is a strong force in its restoration and sustainability programme, offers a short summary of the project to date n 2007, then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern announced a 10-year development plan for Glasnevin Cemetery in conjunction with the Office of Public Works (OPW), to restore it in time for the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. The Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Martin Mansergh, TD, together with Clare McGrath and Denis Carr, OPW Chairman and Director respectively, has taken a deep interest in this unique project. As part of the ongoing restorative work in association with the OPW, Glasnevin Trust are integrating the cemetery grounds with the Botanical Gardens and Tolka Valley Linear Park to create a verdant green park of over 200 acres. When combined, this will create the second largest green space amenity in Dublin City after the Phoenix Park. The restoration works on the 140-acre cemetery’s protected structures include the O’Connell Tower and crypt, the Mortuary Chapel as well as the many graves of significant architectural importance. Glasnevin’s Victorian landscaping is being returned to its former glory as part of the works. Much-needed maintenance work has been carried out on the cemetery’s core infrastructure, including its drainage and eight-and-half kilometres of roadways. The restoration work, allied to the new museum, will make the cemetery one of the nation’s greatest visitor attractions, on a par with the likes of Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC and Père Lachaise in Paris. We hope you enjoy the new museum and look forward to your visit.
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George McCullough CEO, Glasnevin Trust
A BeCreative Editorial Production www.becreative.ie Editor Kevin Flanagan Kevin@becreative.ie
Deputy Editors Tara Leigh Emma Hill Contributor Nuala Ryan
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Photography Nic MacInnes nicmac@eircom.net and Mac Innes Photography • www.mip.ie Additional photography by David Cleary and Philip Ryan