While I have previously written about cemetery visits http://marimarg04.blogspot.ca/2014/08/walking-among-departed.html a cemetery tour can be an even richer experience when a knowledgeable guide shares local history.
Mausoleum of Daniel O'Connell, early 18th century Irish political leader known as the Liberator.
A year ago in Ireland I toured Dublin’s historic Glasnevin Cemetery where many of the figures involved in the nation’s struggle for independence are buried. The young guide told me he likes Alberta, having accompanied his father here on work-related trips. This cemetery has a café and the Guinness bread with my soup was to die for.
Visitors still bring flowers to the grave of Michael Collins, a leader in the Irish struggle for independence.
Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery has a café and the tower marks O'Connell's mausoleum.
Another young guide seemed to enjoy telling the stories of the those resting in Edmonton’s Mount Pleasant Cemetery when my sister, brother in law and I took a tour in July 2015.
Edmonton's Mount Pleasant Cemetery honours a pioneer entrepreneur and a bus driver who loved her job.
Western Australia's East Perth Cemeteries is a National Trust property. Being a member of a genealogical society got the $4 tour fee waived in April 2015.
1890s Headstones in Perth, Australia from two different cultural traditions.
February 2015 in New Zealand I stayed with friends Val and Laurie who are in the funeral business and have run tours in a local cemetery. They gave me a personal tour of that cemetery and those in other communities in the area. During my stay we established a pattern of a cemetery visit each day.
These headstones in Karoro Cemetery, Greymouth, New Zealand give clues to the stories of local people.
Victoria, British Columbia's Old Cemeteries Society offers a different tour each week and I have done two of them. Ross Bay is a lovely Victorian era garden cemetery by the sea that was established in 1873. This cemetery is linked to the early history of British Columbia with many of its historic figures buried here as well as several of the families of the Hudson's Bay men who founded the fort and the city. In February 2016 I did the Ross Bay Cemetery tour for Black History Month and in April took my son and his partner along on a tour focused on early settlers.
The Old Cemeteries Society tells the stories of some of the people of Victoria, BC.
My latest cemetery tour was at Mountainvew Cemetery in Lethbridge, Alberta and again I was not disappointed when an engaging storyteller brought to life some of the city's history.
Old cemeteries have many child graves.
Scottish mining engineer William Stafford established the location of Lethbridge, Alberta.