My Self Guided Tour Round Dundonald Cemetery Belfast.

Описание: ( Wesley Thompson local East Belfast historian has written a wonderful History of Dundonald Cemetery entitled, 'If Stones could speak. I'm not sure how you might come by this history but I recommend contacting East Belfast Historical Society. )
I live under 2 miles away from Dundonald Cemetery, Upper Newtownards Road Belfast, yet I have never been in it until today. I was surprised at how large it turned out to be. I reckon it must be in the top 3 biggest Belfast cemeteries as regards size/numbers of graves.
Dundonald Cemetery opened as a municipal burial ground in 1905. n 1895, Belfast Corporation (now Belfast City Council) realised that more burial space was needed to cope with the city's growing population. Two years later, it bought 45 acres of land at Ballymiscaw, Dundonald, for £5,600. The site was known locally as Donall’s Fortress because of a nearby fort.
In 1904, plots were allocated out and a quarter of the cemetery was set aside for Roman Catholic burials, a decision which was later revised.
There are no new grave plots available in the cemetery, but burials still take place in existing graves.
Dundonald Cemetery in a Commonwealth War Grave. There are around 100 servicemen buried here from WW1 and WW2 in particular.
The entrance to the cemetery is marked by an imposing set of black and gold double gates. At the highest point stands a grey limestone war memorial ( the Cross of Sacrifice ), around five metres high. It is embedded with large bronze Excalibur-type swords which form the shape of a cross at the top of the monument.
The engraving below them reads: "This cross of sacrifice is one in design and intention with those which have been set up in France and Belgium and other places throughout the world where our dead of the Great War are laid to rest. Their name liveth for evermore."
Famous burials
John Carey (1861-1943) – landscape artist
Sir Thomas Dixon (1868-1950) - High Sheriff for Co. Antrim in 1912 and Co. Down in 1913. Dixon also served as Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast between 1924 and 1950
Lady Edith Stewart Dixon (1871-1964) - wife of Sir Thomas Dixon. Lady Dixon was made a Dame of the British Empire for her work with soldiers during World War I. She donated her family estate, now Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, to the people of Belfast. The Dixons are buried in section B3 of the cemetery and their grave is marked with a very large, imposing black granite memorial
Dr Thomas Fleming Stevenson Fulton (1887-1974) - founder of Fleming Fulton School.
Oscar Heron (died 1953) - famous gypsy horse dealer
John McCandless (died 1913) - managing director of Belfast Ropeworks Ltd
Sir Frederick Ernest Rebbeck (1877-1964) - chairman of Harland and Wolff from 1930 to 1962
William John Stewart (1868-1946) - MP for south Belfast.