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.

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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. Scroll down for photos…