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faith · Saturday 15 August 2026 · 5:00pm 
Blessing of the Graves 2026 - Bailieborough and Shercock Area
At Killann Cemetery · Killann, Shercock, Co. Cavan
At Killann Cemetery · Killann, Shercock, Co. Cavan
Every August and September, Catholic parishes around Bailieborough and Shercock hold Blessing of the Graves ceremonies at their local cemeteries, a long-standing tradition in which a priest blesses each grave in turn while families gather to remember relatives buried there. In 2026 the ceremonies fall on three separate dates across three graveyards: Killann on Saturday 15 August, Shercock on Sunday 16 August, and Bailieborough on Sunday 6 September. Each is a short, open-air service rather than a full Mass, and anyone with family connections to the area is welcome to attend.
The Killann ceremony takes place on Saturday 15 August at 5:00pm. The following day, Sunday 16 August, Shercock holds its own blessing after the 11:30am Mass, so the priest and congregation move from the church to the adjoining cemetery together. Bailieborough’s ceremony follows later in the year, on Sunday 6 September at 12 noon, giving families a second date if they cannot make the August ones. At each location, the priest walks the rows of the cemetery saying prayers for the dead and blessing the graves, and families often use the days beforehand to tidy plots, lay fresh flowers and clean headstones. It is a quiet, unhurried event rather than a spectacle, typically lasting 30 to 45 minutes, and it draws both local families and people who have moved away but return for the day to visit family plots.
Killann is a small graveyard outside Shercock, reached via local roads off the R178. Shercock itself sits on the R178 between Cootehill and Kingscourt, with parking on the Diamond and around the church. Bailieborough is a short drive further south on the R165, with its main cemetery close to the town centre.
Shercock sits on the edge of Lough Sillan and is a good base for exploring the lakes of east Cavan before or after a cemetery visit. There is more to see in Shercock and across Co. Cavan.
Heading to Killann Cemetery in Shercock? Cavan has plenty more to see. Read the Shercock area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.