Advice issued ahead of City Cemetery Blessing of the Graves
13 June 2025
Preparations are underway for the annual Blessing of the Graves service at the City Cemetery and with thousands of people expected to attend, Council is advising that visitors familiarise themselves with the arrangements for the day.
The event will take place at 3pm on Sunday June 22nd, and a number of measures are being introduced to ensure the event runs smoothly.
A limited number of parking spaces are still available on site for blue badge holders who must register their details in advance via www.derrystrabane.com/cemeterysunday Please note that anyone booking will need to provide a Name, Mobile number, Vehicle Registration Number, Blue Badge Number and email address – any submissions without this information will be considered invalid.
Those who have booked can access their parking via the Lone Moor Road entrance – gates will open at 1pm until 2pm to allow time for cars to park.
Anyone planning to prepare graves for the service in the coming days are advised that the cemetery will be busy, particularly on Saturday June 21st. It’s recommended that preparations are made earlier in the week if possible if visitors wish to avoid busier times and any congestion. Please follow the traffic directions and be mindful of other pedestrians and visitors accessing the site. With later opening visits can be spread throughout the day.
The City Cemetery will be closed to the general public on the day itself, except for burials. Those with a pre-booked parking space must be in place by 2pm, as there will be no access for vehicles after this time. Parking spaces will be allocated on a first come first served basis and it will not be possible to reserve a space in a particular area. Please keep in mind that you may still have to walk some distance to reach family graves and make provision for this.
Once on site, vehicles will remain there until the crowds have dispersed which, it’s estimated, will be approximately 30 minutes after the service finishes.
Other car parking is being made available for blue badge holders at St Mary’s Church, Creggan, St Cecilia’s College and Celtic Park. There is no prior booking for these sites, access will only be given to vehicles that display a current Disability Blue Badge Permit on arrival and these too will be filled on a first come basis first served basis.
For those who cannot attend the service, a livestream of the Blessing of the Graves can be viewed online at the following link: https://youtube.com/live/9ZS-utqxlfQ?feature=share
You will find information on the Blessing of the Graves service and blue badge parking here - https://tinyurl.com/mr4ytacu