A young mother yesterday marked what would have been her only child's first birthday by telling the press that she will not be allowed to be buried with him because she is a member of the Church of Ireland.
In January, 10-month-old Stephen Morgan died after contracting bacterial meningitis. He was buried in the Catholic graveyard at Pilltown near his parent's home in Laytown, Co Meath. His father, Mr Gavin Morgan, is Catholic and has a number of relatives also buried in the local graveyard.
Ten days after Stephen's funeral his mother, Ms Deborah Byrne (18), was told by the undertaker that parish priest Mgr John Hanly has said she could not be buried in the cemetery as she had wished.
At the time of the funeral Mgr Hanly had been out of the State and a priest from an adjoining parish had told Ms Byrne she could buy the plot for herself, Mr Morgan and Stephen.
Stephen had not been baptised but had received a Church of Ireland blessing at six months. His mother said: "I wanted him there because it is where all his relations on his father's side are buried. I have been here all my life and went to the local national school, which was a Catholic school. I was always part of the community and Gavin's family is here for 200 years. We never had any problem before," she said.
Accompanied by her mother, Ms Byrne met Mgr Hanly to discuss the matter. She says he told her he would not have let Stephen be buried in the Catholic cemetery and, "if I want to be buried with Stephen I will have to have the body exhumed and move it to the Church of Ireland where there is a plot for the three of us, without prejudice against Catholics", she added.
Stephen's parents wrote to the Bishop of Meath, Dr Michael Smith. A letter from his office was received on Tuesday. It said Dr Smith did not get involved in such matters and he was happy to leave it to the priests in the parish to follow the general guidelines that are in force in individual parishes.
Ms Byrne then rang Mgr Hanly again to ask if he had a change of heart but she said he said he had not. Yesterday Mgr Hanly declined to talk about the matter to the press.
Ms Shirley Byrne moved with her family to Ireland from England in 1979. "I have lived in this community for 21 years. All our friends are Catholics, all Stephen's father's family are Catholics and we never had a problem integrating in this community. I could not believe what was happening. I feel Deborah and Gavin have gone through enough losing Stephen without this ridiculous nonsense."
The family believe the parish in Laytown supports them and hopes there may yet be a change of heart that would allow Ms Byrne and Mr Morgan to be buried beside their first born.
Local county councillor Mr Tom Kelly said the attitude of Mgr Hanly was out of step with the Pope. "The Pope on his visit to Israel asked for forgiveness for the Catholic Church. I certainly think that in light of that change and that pronouncement for forgiveness for any offences by the church, that this should be behind us. There is no reason why Christians cannot be buried in a Christian cemetery."