For information on the Jewish community and congregations of Dublin, see Dublin on JCR-UK.
CEMETERIES:
- Ballybough (old) Jewish Cemetery, rear of 67 Fairview Strand Fairview, Dublin D3.
This is the oldest Jewish site in Ireland, the original lease (now lost) dating from 1718. It contains some 150 marked graves and many more unmarked. It was superceded by the Dolphin Barn cemetery, which opened in 1898. David Shulman, JCR-UK Webmaster [2016]
Ballybough [pronounced Bally-bok, from the Gaelic "Baile bocht" = "town of the poor"]. The Cemetery is older than the Alderney Road (Mile End) cemetery in London that was acquired in 1725 by the Great Synagogue, London. Ballybough's list of surviving headstone inscriptions shows the earliest legible marker dated 1777, marking the grave of Jacob Wills, otherwise "Frenchman". The last burial was in 1908 of Mrs. Juliette Harris, widow of Alderman Lewis Harris and daughter of Aaron Joseph of London. His brother, Solomon Joseph, was the father of Mrs. Herman Adler whose husband Very Rev. Dr. Herman Adler was Chief Rabbi of the British Empire. There may be other references to burials contained in published family genealogies. Only about one-seventh of an acre in size, the land close to the River Tolka was acquired in 1718. Although the cemetery is closed for burials, the Dublin Jewish Board of Guardians maintains it with a resident caretaker. The caretaker's cottage at the front of the cemetery bears the words in large stone letters "Built in the year 5618". A list of inscriptions for the old cemetery in Ballybough in Dublin can be found in Louis Hyman's book, The Jews of Ireland. Many Jews at that time could not afford to raise a tombstone so there some graves without. Source: Len Yodaiken; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For an interesting and informative article about the cemetery, see "5618 and all that - The Jewish Cemetery Fairview Strand" - a PDF file. David Shulman, JCR-UK Webmaster [September 2006]
The JewishGen On-Line Worldwide Burial Register (JOWBR) includes some 150 records in respect of this cemetery.
[UPDATE] Irish Times article on Fairview Cemetery, published Aug. 7, 2017. This includes a report that the Dublin Jewish Board of Guardians could no longer afford to provide maintenance of the cemetery and gatehouse (the former caretaker's cottage) and the Dublin City Council has by agreement taken them over over and intends to restore both the cemetery and the gatehouse.. [August 2017]
[UPDATE] Article about the Fairview Strand Jewish Cemetery in Irish Times for August 7, 2017 [December 2018]
See Cemetery Dublin Jewish Cemeteries Information on the Dublin home page of JCR-UK for addition photographs and additional articles on this cemetery. [December 2018]
- Dolphins Barn: Aughavannagh Road, Dolphin's Barn, Dublin 8. Enquiries to 492-6843 or 0872 574 978
The currently active Jewish cemetery in Dublin is located at Dolphin's Barn, a short distance after one crosses the Grand Canal via the bridge from Donore Avenue. Source: Niall Foley This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The cemetery was opened in 1898 to replace the Ballybough Jewish Cemetery. The earliest burial is that of Ze'ev, son of Gedaliya Levi Goldring, who died 6 September 1898. Source: David Shulman, JCR-UK Webmaster [May 2016]
- Progressive Jewish Cemetery: Oldcourt Road, Woodtown, Rathfaraham, County Dublin. Opened in 1952