Mattie Lennon on Grief Cafes and Clar Graveyard

Grief cafe and Clar Graveyard

By Mattie Lennon

The Irish Hospice Foundation has collaborated with artists around the country to set up creative spaces for those struggling with loss during the pandemic. Now a venue in Galway is running a weekly drop-in centre over the coming months to allow people to explore their feelings in a safe environment. In the Ean Restaurant, every Monday, the space is transformed into The Grief Cafe.

In this environment people can talk, draw and listen to poetry, exploring sadness in a gentle, creative way. Johanne Webb is one of seven artists across the country working with the Irish Hospice Foundation.

“Loss is something very close to my mind and heart. I lost my mother when I was ten; I lost my best friend before she turned 20. The pandemic saw me lose all my work and become very ill. During this time my local community rallied around and I started to think about creating a healing space where people could come to share their deepest feelings of grief and loss. Sometimes we carry around this severe sense of grief and we’ve nowhere to put it. People can come in, sit quietly and read, have a chat and a cup of tea, write some poetry or draw. Some drop by for 20 minutes; some come and stay for a couple of hours.”

CLAR CEMETERY

In the graveyard at Clar in county Donegal, Saint Agatha’s church bell rings on two occasions at all funerals. It announces the arrival of the hearse as it comes within view of the church and is rung again following the ‘prayer of commendation’ when the deceased person is taken to their place of rest.

This gesture of respect and mourning signals to the entire community that a funeral is taking place and that a moment of silence is appropriate at that time.

Now the parishioners in partnership with Clogher Le Cheile have brought out a publication, In Loving Memory. This publication records the inscriptions and photographic images of the 923 headstones in the graveyards. These date from the mid-1800s to the present day. This print edition is a sequel to the online version recently completed and available at the website; https://historicgraves.com/ graveyard/st-agatha-s/dg-saga

A Finglas woman was on her way to a wedding wearing a hat which was the biggest and most elaborate ever seen north of the Liffey. A young lad shouted at her, “Hey missus, don’t go near Glasnevin cemetery in case they think it’s a wreath.” Just for giggles...... Just for giggles......