The South East region is home to Ireland's first and only natural burial ground.
The Green Graveyard Company is located at the foothills of the Blackstairs Mountain in Killiane, Co. Wexford.
Woodbrook Natural Burial Ground offers a final resting place surrounded by nature with not one headstone in sight.
People who are laid to rest here have chosen to be buried in the site to help aid wildlife conservation.
They offer a tranquil, nature-filled burial ground service that involves planting a memorial tree instead of a headstone.
It has attracted attention as far as Europe and beyond with people around the world booking a plot due to the greener aspect.
The dedicated Irish woodland space is the final resting place for people from Germany, Japan and Mexico who have all chosen to be buried in the Wexford graveyard.
There are no trinkets, toys, headstones or ornaments in the site.
Caretaker Niall Deacon spoke to Beat all about the service. “It’s all based on how small a footprint have you got on the planet. The grave here is only four feet deep. You plant a tree on it and that burial will eventually nourish that tree.”
Since it opened 15 years ago, Woodbrook Natural Burial Ground has become a beautiful, tranquil, and peaceful final resting place chosen by people from all over the world.
With ashes and full burial plots available, the options ensure all people receive the required burial option.
In its most simplistic form, a natural burial ground is a graveyard where the land has a second use, as a living, developing native Irish woodland and wildflower meadow.
Gone are the marble headstones and concrete surrounds that are commonplace in other Irish burial grounds, replaced instead by a small simple grave marker and the planting of a native Irish tree.
Burial Ground Information Days
Interested in learning more about burial options here? Members of the Green Graveyard Company will be holding several information days at Woodbrook Burial Grounds in the coming months.
These are informal days where you are invited to come along to view the grounds, meet the team, and find out how the natural burial grounds have grown in the years they have been open.
Woodbrook is an operating graveyard. People interested in attending the information days are being advised to our plans can change please check back here or on our website before travelling:
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- Saturday 8th June 2024 (10 am - 3 pm)
- Saturday 13th July 2024 (10am - 3pm)
- Saturday 14th Sept 2024 (10am - 3pm)
To find out more visit The Green Graveyard Company's website.
