Memorial Stones

This Memorial Stone was placed in November 1999 by Miscarriage Association of Ireland.

In April 2009, The Miscarriage Association of Ireland placed our fourth Memorial Stone, our first outside Dublin, in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Athy. This stone was dedicated by Fr. Joe McDonald and Fr. Seery following the Cemetery Mass on Wednesday 17th June 2009.

As representatives of The Miscarriage Association of Ireland Marie, Yvonne and I arrived in St. Michael’s Cemetery at 8pm, just before the Mass was about to start. There was quite a large number of people, all there to remember and pay tribute to the people interred there, very special people in their lives. The altar was placed just in front of Our Lady’s Grotto, at the base of which stood our Memorial Stone. Mass was concelebrated by Fr. Joe McDonald, and Fr. Seery.

The dedication was a very moving experience as it highlighted awareness and gave significance to all those little lives, who perhaps had previously been unacknowledged. It is quite emotional to come in contact with people who have had the sad experience of miscarriage and who may not ever have had the opportunity to acknowledge the loss of their baby. The resting place of this Memorial Stone is very fitting and if anybody happens to be in the area of St. Michael’s Cemetery, it is well worth a visit.

We are very grateful to Karen Carolan from Athy for making the first phone call and wasting no time in keeping up the momentum to see it through to placement and this very special day of dedication. Karen herself collected the Memorial Stone from the stone works in Glasnevin in Dublin and brought it to St. Michael’s Cemetery in her car. Her phonecall to us and all her hard work has made such a positive difference to so may people.

We would also like to thank Paul Lawlor, from St. Michael’s too for his part in bringing this to fruition, Fr. Joe McDonald, Fr. Seery and Patricia Kelly. All involved should be very proud of this very special Stone in memory of all the little ones who never got an opportunity to share our lives with us but will live on in our hearts forever.

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Behold, I have carved you on the palms of my hands.” (Isaiah 49:16).
In memory of our precious little babies, who never got the opportunity to share our lives with us, but will live in our hearts forever.
“And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).
Erected by the Miscarriage
Association of Ireland 2009.

On 7th November 2010, a group of men, women and children gathered in Redford Cemetery in Greystones. They had come to remember their lost children, grandchildren and siblings – little babies born too soon.

On this particular day, a beautiful memorial stone was being dedicated. I was very honoured to represent the Miscarriage Association on this very special occasion.

The ceremony was beautiful and very moving. Reflections and poems, written by parents who knew the pain of losing a baby, were read. Prayers were said for all who have been affected by the loss of a precious baby.

The stone is situated just at the front gate of the cemetery and is visible from the main Bray/Greystones road. I drive past the cemetery daily with my children. I never pass by without a quick glance at “our” stone. It is for all of us who are united by the loss of a baby. As I glance at the stone, my thoughts and prayers go to my children who are not sitting in the back of the car and who never will be.

When I first visited the stone on the week of the unveiling, I met a lady who was tending a grave. She came over to see what was written on the stone. She then shared with me how she had lost a baby many years before. Sadly her baby was taken away from her without ever seeing him. It makes me happy to know that the memorial stones give parents like this lady a tangible place to come and honour their babies.

Sincere thanks go to the Liturgy Group, Holy Rosary Parish, Greystones and St. Kilian’s, Blacklion, and Fr. Enda Lloyd and also to Margaret O’Keeffe and her husband Mick for all their hard work in order to bring the Memorial Stone to Greystones and for the beautiful dedication ceremony they organised.

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Following a special prayer service, on Friday 11th November 2011, our sixth Memorial Stone was unveiled and blessed in the church grounds of Our Lady and Saint Joseph, Caragh, Naas, Co. Kildare.

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Our seventh Memorial Stone was placed in Fingal Cemetery, North Co. Dublin in December 2011 and was officially dedicated to all babies lost before, during and after birth at the Annual Cemetery Mass on Sunday 24th June 2012.

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Our eighth Memorial Stone which is placed in the church grounds of St. MacCullin’s, Lusk, was officially unveiled and blessed following a Service of Remembrance at 3pm on Sunday 24th June 2012.

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On 29th June 2017, a Memorial Stone was unveiled at the Church of Ireland, Belturbet, Co. Cavan.

A beautiful ceremony was held on the night of 29th June 2017 at the Church of Ireland, Belturbet. There was a great community turn out. The scripture choice and reflections were very well chosen. Rev. Tanya Woods shared her personal experience. Jacinta and Ivor, who started this very special quest, unveiled the Stone.

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We have a new Memorial Stone in the Plot of the Angels, Bohermore Cemetery, Galway City.

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A Memorial Stone has been placed in Rath Cemetery, Tralee, Co. Kerry to commemorate all babies who have died before, during and after birth. A MEMORIAL stone to commemorate babies who have died before, during or after birth was unveiled and blessed at Rath Cemetery on Saturday morning. The memorial (beside the altar near the Ballinorig entrance) was blessed by Fr Gerard O’Leary, Chaplain at Kerry General Hospital, in a short ceremony attended by around 60 people. The memorial was put in place by Kerry County Council in association with the Miscarriage Association of Ireland.

Laura Freeman of Kerry County Council got in touch with the association which has placed a number of such memorial stones in cemeteries around the country.

“I was contacted by a lady who had had a number of miscarriages and she wanted to do something” said Laura, who was helped by Deirdre Finn in organising the memorial. “I did a bit of research and found the Miscarriage Association of Ireland has these memorial stones in graveyards around the country,” she said.

The stone was sent down from Glasnevin Cemetery and they contacted Fr O’Leary about conducting the service.

“It’s just a place for people to come and remember. A lot of people have miscarriages and they’re not buried here in this graveyard, so it’s a place to reflect,” said Laura.

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Our fifteenth memorial stone was placed in St Patrick’s cemetery, the crossroads, Kilygorden, Lifford, County Donegal in May 2017.  Olivia Bradley walked from Dublin to Donegal in May 2017 in order to raise money for the stone and for the Miscarriage Association of Ireland.

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Our sixteenth memorial stone was place in Donaghcomper cemetery, Celbridge, County Kildare in October 2019.  It is situated in the beautiful Angels plot in the cemetery.

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