Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of our most Frequently asked questions, we hope they are useful, if you have any other questions that you would like to ask just contact us.

NOTE: These questions and answers are really only applicable to undertaking in Ireland, so if you're in another country the answers will differ due to different laws and practices.

Q. Who should I contact first when it is time to arrange a funeral?
A. As the undertaker will make all of the arrangements on your behalf including the Church newspaper notices, cemetery, etc. it is best to contact him first and all of the arrangement can be channelled through him. This will save you time and possible some distress at such a difficult time.

Q. Do I need a death cert to complete the funeral arrangements?
A. You do not require a death cert if the burial is in the state.

Q Where do I get a death cert?
A.
(1) Death takes place in Hospital or similar institution. In this instance the hospital will register the death and you should enquire from the registrar's office at the hospital as to where you can obtain the cert.
(2) Death takes place at home; the attending Doctor will issue a Cause of Death Cert which you bring to the register of births Deaths and marriages at Joyce House Lombard Street. You do not have to Queue when you require a cert for a recent death.

Q. Is it possible to delay the funeral for a few days?
A. With today's modern embalming techniques it is possible to delay a funeral a considerable length of time.

Q. What is a Post Mortem/ P M/Autopsy?
A. Where a deceased has not been attending a Doctor or there is no history of illness it will be necessary to perform a P M to ascertain the exact cause of death.
Further information here

Q. Can I object to a P M?
A. If the post mortem has been ordered by the Coroner you cannot object or stop a post mortem taking place If the coroner orders a P M in most cases it means that there is no Doctor willing to issue a cause of death cert and therefore it would be impossible to obtain a death cert. If the Hospital authorities ask your permission to perform a P M you are quite entitled to refuse provided that there is a Doctor willing to issue a cause of death cert.

Q. What are the deadlines for the national newspapers?
A. For all of the editions of the evening newspaper it is necessary to have the notice in from the night before. It is possible to make the very last edition of the evening paper up to 11AM on the day of publication. For the Daily or morning papers it is necessary to have the notice in before 9.30 P M the evening before publication.

Q. If I insert a notice in the morning paper will it be automatically included in the evening paper?
A. No each insertion is treated as a single item.

Q. How many people do the Mourning Coaches/Limos hold?
A. The legal permitted number of adults in a mourning coach is 7. The total number of occupants can be increased if a number of the party are children.

Q. Do I have to pay the Church offerings, cemetery fees, organist, gratuities etc?
A. This is optional but normally it is best to leave all the payments to the undertaker who will give you an itemised bill at a later stage.

Q. Is Cremation cheaper than a burial type funeral?
A. No two funerals are the same therefore no two funerals cost the same. With cremation you do not have to purchase a burial plot so therefore there is a saving there. But should you decide to inter the ashes in the cemetery there is a charge for that If you already own a cemetery plot you will find that the cremation cost are similar to the grave opening fees In general similar type funerals be they burial or cremation will not differ greatly in price.

Q. And lastly the question we're most frequently asked, Is the coffin used in cremation?
A. Yes it is.