The Dundalk Community

Dundalk Great Northern Railway Refreshment Room Staff and possibly other staff. [1909]

Historical Societies are very keen to promote better understanding of local history within communities. Research can help communities to discover a connection with the past and realise that some human experiences are universal across time. The Old Dundalk Society are involved in working with local groups assisting with the publishing of historical reference books. A recent example of such cooperation was when one of our members served on the committee which developed and published a book telling the story the ill-fated SS Dundalk, one of the last ships to be sunk at the end of the first world war. Resulting from the books publication a permanent monument was erected on the ‘Navvy Bank’ in Dundalk to commemorate those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

The Society is engaging with local schools in the area promoting an interest in local history to the next generation. The society has been actively engaging with relevant stakeholders to produce an Application (App) containing a data base of all burials that have taken place in St. Patrick’s Cemetery Dundalk. since its opening on Good Friday 1895. The graveyard is the home of to some 25,000 former residents of the town and surrounding area. The graveyard contains over 10,000 graves that form a unique part of the town’s history. The new App which will be launched later in 2023 will enable the general public to access information regarding the location of graves in the cemetery with details of those buried within.