Belfast councillors have deferred a recommendation so Friends of Friars Bush and Cairde na Cille CIC can negotiate shared access to a historic burial ground
The Belfast City Council has chosen to postpone a formal decision about organised visits to Friar’s Bush Graveyard, giving two competing operators time to try and agree a workable timetable. The move came during a meeting of the People and Communities Committee at City Hall, where elected members were asked to consider officer recommendations around authorised guided tours at this long-established burial site.
The cemetery, considered to have been used since the 16th century and likely older, sits in the south of the city and attracts interest from locals and visitors for its deep layers of history and some of the region’s earliest surviving headstones.
Council officers had proposed specific allocations of days and durations to avoid clashes between the two groups involved: Friends of Friars Bush and Cairde na Cille CIC (also known as Friends of the Graveyard). Rather than imposing the plan immediately, councillors opted to defer to allow a facilitated meeting between the groups.
The aim is to find an arrangement that protects the groups’ livelihoods, preserves public access and respects the heritage value of the site, while avoiding the disruption and uncertainty that has arisen from frequent short-term renewals.
What officers recommended
In an evaluation report, council staff described both organisations and set out a proposed timetable intended to provide certainty over a 12-month period. Officers characterised Friends of Friars Bush as a team of local guides delivering an impartial, factual narrative using primary historical sources, and recommended they be authorised to run 75-minute tours on certain days. Meanwhile, the report noted that Cairde na Cille CIC focuses on promoting community relations, animating public spaces and supporting heritage access for diverse audiences, including free events targeted at economically disadvantaged communities. The recommendations allocated alternative days to each group so that each could operate without overlapping bookings, with both suggested permissions lasting for one year.
Rationale behind the proposed schedule
Council officers explained the suggested timetable formed part of an evaluation scheme intended to balance commercial activity, heritage conservation and community use. Staff said the one-year window would help stabilise the situation after repeated short-term reviews, and would reduce the burden on operators who had expressed frustration at re-engaging every six months. The allocation aimed to limit competition for the same time slots while maintaining public access, but officers acknowledged the arrangements would require sensitive handling because both groups have been active at the site for several years and rely on tours for income and outreach.
Positions of the tour groups
Friends of Friars Bush
Friends of Friars Bush are presented in the council report as experienced local guides who have provided regular tours and place emphasis on historical accuracy. Their interpretation is described as impartial and evidence-led, designed for general audiences. Representatives of the group raised concerns that the officer timetable could reduce their available days, potentially cutting into essential weekend bookings and harming their ability to sustain operations. Members argued that changes which remove prime touring slots would have a direct commercial impact and reduce the continuity of the service they have offered to visitors over recent years.
Cairde na Cille CIC
Cairde na Cille CIC emphasises community engagement, telling stories that connect residents to the cemetery and delivering some events free to people from economically deprived backgrounds. Officers said the organisation helps animate both built and open spaces and supports social inclusion through heritage. They too have run tours at Friar’s Bush for years and were concerned that any rigid allocation could restrict their outreach work. The group has welcomed opportunities to formalise access but also wants assurances that community-focused programming will be protected within any timetable.
Councillors intervene and next steps
At the committee meeting Alliance councillor Micky Murray highlighted specific clashes, noting both groups already operate at the site on Saturdays and warning that the proposed schedule might remove a shared day or otherwise disadvantage one operator. He asked officers to explain how much engagement had taken place with the groups and urged that no final decision be taken until the two parties had a chance to resolve scheduling in a direct discussion. SDLP councillor Gary McKeown also urged caution, stressing the need to avoid an erosion of access and to work closely with the groups to meet expectations where possible.
The committee agreed to defer the decision and allow a meeting, already scheduled by officers, to go ahead so the organisations can seek a compromise. Council staff said they would continue ongoing communication with both groups and that the intention behind a temporary permission was to provide stability for the next 12 months rather than force repeated short-term renewals. For members of the public and heritage stakeholders, the outcome will determine how the oldest cemetery in the city is opened up for tours while balancing commercial activity, community benefit and conservation.
