Full credit to the Glasnevin Trust
Sir -- I can never understand how nearly every time the grave of General Michael Collins gets mentioned in the media, George McCullough, chief executive of the Glasnevin Trust, seems to take it so personally, as if any comments are directed at him or are insinuating negligence on the part of the trust. This could not be further from the truth.
In his letter (January 8), he emphasises: "The care and maintenance of the grave is undertaken by the Glasnevin Trust."
In fairness, the trust has made a fine job of cleaning up the cemetery and making it the fine tourist attraction it is today.
It is not that long ago that one had to tread through mud and dirt to visit the grave of a loved one, never mind a patriot.
Where Mr McCullough seems to be making the mistake is in the use by the media of the word "maintenance". There is no harm intended here towards the trust in which Mr McCullough is employed, or indeed himself; it is just a term used for simply putting fresh flowers on the grave each week and changing the water, which the cemetery does not do for any grave on principle.
However, as a member of the public and also a member of the Collins22 Society, myself and three other society members carry out this voluntary work each week. This costs our society, through donations from members, between €1,500 and €1,900 per year in flowers alone. Included in that is our own monies.
We are also responsible for the beautiful Wicklow granite chippings upon the grave which we placed there for the grand opening of the cemetery a few years back with the permission of the Collins family.
While the State owns the grave, the Collins family owns the headstone and grave surrounds, which were bought and paid for by Johnny Collins and the family back in 1939.
As for the candlelight ceremony mentioned in the article, I am allowed to tell you that Veronique, the French lady whom I know personally, explained to me that there seemed to have been a mix up with the Halloween storytelling supper and torchlight visit organised by the Trust on October 29 last year, which she attended and greatly enjoyed and which she mentioned to Sarah Slater when she talked to her.
I finished my cultural and heritage studies with the National Print Museum back in August with three weeks of work experience at the cemetery. I enjoyed every moment. The staff are just so wonderful and kind, especially the tour guides.
It was great to notice when on these tours the reaction of the public to the Collins grave when they would see all the flowers. In my own way, I felt a sense of pride to be able to contribute in my own small way to it, not just on behalf of the Collins family, not just for the society or indeed myself, but to the great things that the trust has done for the cemetery in putting it and those who rest there on the world stage.
For that and on behalf of our society and friends, I wish them every success in the future and many thanks.
James Langton,
Collins22 Society/1916-21 Club/ Irish Volunteers Commemorative Society, Palmerstown, Dublin 20
Originally published in
