Arranging A Funeral
Where To Begin
One of the most stressful times in anyone’s life is when the death of a loved one occurs. Here is a helpful guide to answer some of your questions.
1) Who do I notify
Immediately following the death, you should notify the next of kin.
- If the death occurred at home, then the deceased’s family doctor (GP) should also be notified by the next of kin.
- If the death occurred in a residential care home depending on the time of day, the matron will contact the deceased’s family doctor (GP) and/or the Doctor-on-Call.
- If the death occurred in a Hospital, the deceased’s doctor will be contacted by the hospital.
- If the death occurred in a sudden or unexpected manner the Gardaí will need to be informed. If the deceased’s doctor did not see the deceased in the last 28 days before the death occurred or if the doctor is unhappy about the cause of death, the Coroner will need to be informed by the Gardaí. The Coroner will decide if a post-mortem is necessary. If after a post-mortem the cause of death cannot be established, an inquest may be held.
- At this point, you should also notify a funeral director, who will help you with the funeral arrangements and guide you through the decisions which need to be made.
2) Who should make the funeral arrangements?
The person charged with administering the deceased’s will – the executor – has the legal authority to make all funeral arrangements. However this responsibility can be passed on to the next of kin, other family member or friend by mutual consent. The person who signs the appropriate authorisation for the funeral service is the only one who can make arrangements with the cemetery or crematorium and will be responsible for the costs of the Funeral.
3) What choices do we have for the funeral service?
In the case of a traditional church service, you’ll have to decide whether the removal to the church takes place the day before the service with burial the following day, or if you want removal to the church and burial to take place on the same day. Deery’s Funeral Directors will be satisfied to discuss your options and answer any questions.
We believe that a funeral celebrates the deceased’s life in a way that is meaningful to the bereaved and reflects the life of the person who has died. To achieve this, we will help you personalise the service with readings and hymns of your choice or arrange to have the service take place in a particular location of your choosing.
4) Can I choose to have a non-religious funeral service?
Yes. If you wish to have a humanist or other type of non-religious service, we can discuss your options and arrange the service with you.
5) Is embalming necessary?
Deery’s Funeral Directors always recommend embalming. As funeral directors, we believe that the presentation and care of your deceased family member or friend is one of our prime responsibilities. Embalming involves injecting a solution that helps to return a more natural appearance to the body and prevents deterioration or any spread of bacteria. Our expert embalmers work to the highest professional standards.
6) Can I delay the funeral so relatives travelling from abroad can attend?
Yes. Viewing can be extended for an agreed period once all the necessary preparations, including embalming, have been carried out.
7) Instead of flowers, can we ask for donations to a nominated charity?
Yes. We’ll be happy to organise this on your behalf, by including your request when we make out the death announcement form.
8) How much will the funeral cost?
Deery’s Funeral Directors will discuss all options for the funeral with you and provide you with a detailed estimate of the cost, based on your choices. Funeral costs fall into two areas: those charged by the funeral directors for the preparation of the deceased, the choice of coffin, transportation, and any other professional services. The other costs fall under disbursement which include payments we make on your behalf to the celebrant, choir, crematorium and/or cemetery, gravedigging, death notices to RIP.ie, Radio stations and national newspaper and florists.
9) Can family and/or friends carry the coffin?
Yes. Many families choose to carry the coffin. Six people is normally the appropriate number of bearers required to carry the coffin.
If you have any questions about planning a funeral.