Issue 2 2014

The magazine for Funeral Directors in Ireland

2014 Vol.14 No.2

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The magazine for Funeral Directors in Ireland

The magazine for Funeral Directors in Ireland

Reilly opens Maynooth funeral home........................ 4

Finlay working seven days a week.............................. 7

Editorial and Advertising contacts: Graham Brown | Ruth McQuillan Vikki Crangle | Paula Hanna Tel: (028) 3835 5060 (048) from ROI Funeral Times is owned and published by: InHouse Publications, 1 Annagh Drive, Craigavon, Co. Armagh BT63 5WF email: sales@funeraltimes.com

Hans re-elected as BIE Chairman................... 23

Irish contingent in Las Vegas........................... 37

Contents

Reilly opens new Maynooth funeral home....... 4 After the fire - Finlay looks to the future.......... 7 IAFD News.........................................................12 Glyn travels down under................................... 19 BIE News........................................................... 22 SAIF News......................................................... 29 The Irish Wake by Mattie Lennon.................. 32 Jennifer Muldowney reports from the ICCFA All Star Annual Convention in Las Vegas....... 36 PEAI News......................................................... 43 Mary Elizabeth Dillon on developments in civil funerals...................................................45 Solutions and Dilutions By Jack Adams......... 56 NAFD News....................................................... 63 Win signed Brian O’Driscoll Irish jersey........ 70 The best things and the worst things according to Dr Bill Webster............................ 71 Gus Nichols wants to learn from those new to the business............................................76 Classifieds.......................................................... 86

Disclaimer: Readers are urged to support the magazine’s advertisers, but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any claims made or implied in the advertisements. The publishers reserve the right to refuse advertising. Opinions expressed in this magazine by contributing writers and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contributed for inclusion in this magazine but no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from the use of published articles. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior consent. Articles and photographs for inclusion are welcomed but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for their loss or damage however caused.

FuneralTimes | 3

New funeral home opens in Maynooth In his first year in business in 1963, Oliver Reilly carried out one funeral. This sobering experience wasn’t enough to put off the County Kildare man who slowly and steadily built a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness. Today the firm has a sound business in the county and grandson Paul held the official opening in April of their second new funeral home at The Mall, Maynooth to complement the Prosperous, Naas premises.

The fabulous new funeral home have been designed with the future in mind, incorporating new technology such as web cams and skype in the plans to provide families with as much choice as possible. “While we have retained a traditional look and feel in many of the public areas, we also knew the importance of future proofing”, said Paul, “We learnt a lot from building the Prosperous Funeral Home in 2005 and wanted to repeat many of the things 4 | FuneralTimes

which work well while improving in other areas”.

The new funeral home was purpose built allowing the Reilly’s a free hand to design and build exactly what they wanted and to include plenty of space for parking outside. It was important to create a home suitable for both religious and civil services, final farewells and life celebrations. The home can accommodate gatherings of up to 100 people with ample free

car parking and contains a large showroom of coffins and caskets.

After his slow start, Oliver Reilly steadily built his business until, in 1975, Oliver’s son Sean took over, moving the business forward, by increasing the number of funeral homes to expand the area served to cover most of North Kildare including Prosperous, Clane, Kilcock, Maynooth, Coill Dubh, Robertstown, Allen, Kilmeague, Donadea, Staplestown, Sallins, Straffan, Newtown, Caragh and some parts of Dublin.

In 1999 Sean’s son Paul joined the business, after graduating from The McGowan School of Embalming, Ballina, Co. Mayo. Equipped with

modern techniques and traditional undertaking practices, Paul could view the business from a fresh perspective and has continued to expand. With the new Maynooth home already busy, Oliver would be proud that his slow starting business has blossomed into a vibrant and forward looking enterprise.

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Finlay Group look to the future Funeral Times visited the Finlay premises in Ardee five weeks to the day after the devastating fire which cost the life of a member of staff and destroyed much of the factory.

T

he twisted metal rafters and mounds of debris are a clear reminder of the inferno which roared through the premises on the evening of 3rd March, and the sombre mood of Colman Finlay and his team is clear as they try to come to terms with the loss of a respected colleague and friend. But there is a clear focus throughout that Finlay is open for ‘Business as Usual’.

“It is important that, whatever we are going through, we keep things as normal as possible for our customers”, said Colman.

“On the Tuesday morning after the fire we were able to operate out of the office and that meant we could make and receive calls.

While we all had our minds on other things, the normality was very important. I think it helped us as well as reassuring customers that we were still working to fulfil orders”.

It is a sad truth that we all learn the most in times of greatest stress. While it seemed important in the first days after the fire to make sure that everything was being done to minimise impact on customers, the company learnt that they had friends throughout the funeral business and beyond, whose first thought was to help in any way they could and who rallied to offer assistance.

“In those first few days the offers of assistance and the kind words of sympathy were breathtaking”, says Colman. "One local businessman phoned to offer his company van to help with deliveries and one of the firm’s suppliers emailed just to ask, “What do you need?” Those two messages, and others like them, got us up and running, suddenly we were looking forward."

Finlay warehouse at Tierney Street With the embers still smouldering, the firm managed to secure a small industrial unit from which the deliveries could be processed. The fire brigade had managed to break the fire in two places, saving both the administration offices and machine shop.

This was to prove vital in allowing sales and accounts to continue and preserving the machinery which would allow production to recommence.

There have been three phases to the event and Colman still shudders when he recalls that first week. “We had to move quickly to fulfil urgent orders, organise new premises for a short term solution and begin to plan for the longer term with full production and logistics, and all this while carrying out the funeral service of Ramunas.”

One thing which kept Finlay going in the first dark days was the constant stream of good wishes. The town of Ardee rallied to one of its own and funeral professionals from Ireland, the UK, Europe and north America sent messages of goodwill, offering FuneralTimes | 7

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Mounting and lining department any help that was required. Senior clergy were quick to send condolences and Colman was inspired by the esteem in which the Finlay name is held. “Since my grandfather started the business in 1933 we have just tried to do a good job and treat people fairly. To get messages from such a huge number of people from all over the world was amazing and reminded us all that every time we communicate with people we form relationships and those relationships are what determine the strength of a business.

Reading the messages today is a humbling experience”, says Colman.

Into week two, and the company managed to source good factory premises within 10 minutes of Ardee. Colman decided that it was important for funeral directors to continue coming to the main factory.

This was a statement of intent that Finlay would stay on their original site and that funeral directors calling to collect coffins or other supplies would see that, despite the devastation to the yard, the front of the building had been preserved and business was ongoing. “Funeral directors had been visiting us at Tierney Street for more than 80 years and we decided that it was important not to change that”.

Having grown up in and around the business, the loss was intense for Colman.

He worked weekends while at school

and joined his grandfather and father in the business in 1989. The Tierney Street premises were the original family home and represent more than just a place of work to the Finlay family.

The fire had completely destroyed the

RAMUNAS SINICA Finlay Group lost a valued member of staff in the fire at their premises on the evening of 3rd March.

Ramunas Sinica was 30 years old and had been with Finlay Group for nine years and leaves a partner and nine year old daughter.

Finlays carried out the funeral arrangements with a joint Lithuanian/ English service held in Ardee, followed by cremation in Glasnevin.

There is a substantial Lithuanian community in the Ardee area with many having worked at Finlay Group over the years. The service was well attended by friends, family and the wider Ardee community, as well as customers and suppliers of Finlays, who came together to commemorate the very sad loss of a popular and hard working man. Ramunas will be remembered by his friends and colleagues at Finlay Group who remember his family in their prayers. RIP. FuneralTimes | 9

Section of new assembly shop assembly workshops, finishing booth, showroom and much of the warehousing.

Finlay normally stores between 1,000 and 2,000 coffins and while a great deal had been lost, additional storage at another part of the site meant that some inventory remained intact. Having moved this to the new premises and sorted out what was still available, Colman and his staff had a starting point from which to build.

With 119 different coffins in the primary range, plus variations in size and colour, Finlay has a huge number of options to provide for. And through their FunEquip brand the firm services the needs of funeral directors in hundreds of other lines. “We supply everything for funeral directors except vehicles and clothes”, says Colman, “And we are conscious of our responsibility to our suppliers and customers to keep everything constantly available.

“Once the funeral was over we came to terms with the immense job ahead of us and I cannot speak highly enough of the staff here, who have pitched in to keep production going seven days a week to get things back on an even keel.” Machinery was moved from Ardee out to the new premises and production got underway.

Even five weeks after the event, Finlay is operating a seven day production cycle and is determined to rebuild stock in order to keep service levels high.

10 | FuneralTimes

New manufacturing facility Colman is now facing the prospect of planning for the next phase of the operation.

At some point in the future he intends to return the three strands of the firm, the coffin business Finlays of Ardee, Finlay Memorial and FunEquip which covers all non coffin supplies to funeral directors, back to Tierney Street.

There will be many challenges, not least finding a balance between the chance to create new, purpose built premises with retaining the image and traditions of a firm which has been synonymous with funeral directing in Ireland for three generations.

And if Finlay can take one thing from the awful experience of 3rd March, it is to protect and cherish their reputation built by successive generations since 1933 – a reputation which brought friends, known and unknown, with offers of assistance when their need was greatest.

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IAFD News Dear Colleagues I

t is hard to believe that almost four months have passed since I became your President.

Many things have happened since the end of November 2013 including the tragic fire at Finlays, Ardee which resulted in a fatality.

The main purpose of this letter is update our members with regard to how the Board of the IAFD have responded to that very sad event.

On behalf of members of the IAFD I have extended the sympathy of directors and members to our esteemed colleague Colman, his family and the employees at Finlays. When attending the funeral, I also expressed our sincere sympathy to the family of Ramunas Sinica who regrettably died in the incident.

The level of support from our membership and the local community has been noteworthy; I am aware this has been greatly appreciated

by Colman and his colleagues. At times like this words are very important but deeds can be equally so. In this context the Board of the IAFD have decided to provide some tangible support in the form of a donation to the twelve year old daughter of the deceased.

When writing, I also wish to take this opportunity to refer to the very important matter of communication with our members.

All should note that in the near future we will be increasing our use of email and also commence using web texting. Members should watch out for communications on their computers and mobile phones.

As I conclude it is appropriate to mention that the Board were informed of the deaths

of the following member and other members’ relatives: William O’Connor, Cork - Former President & Founding Member Elizabeth (Lil) Kavanagh, Ferns, Co. Wexford Patricia Lyons, Ardagh, Longford Dan Oosthuizen, Midleton Cork/ Cloyne, Cork Michael Bohan, Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin / Feakle, Clare Patrick Kennedy, Ennis, Co. Clare Members were previously informed but I thought it appropriate to repeat the information.

On behalf of the Board and all Members I wish to record our sincere sympathy.

May they all rest in peace.

Finally, I wish to announce the appointment of Mary Cunniffe and Colm Kieran as directors of IAFD. On behalf of the members I have already welcomed both to the Board and wished them every success in their new roles.

Details regarding their histories etc are detailed on page 13.

Note: Next Regional meeting will take place on Thursday 24th April at 2.30pm in Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin. I look forward to meeting all who will attend.

Yours sincerely

Dates for your Diary 2014 24th April 2014, Regional Meeting, Dublin (Louis Fitzgerald) 25th September 2014, Regional Meeting, Galway 16th October 2014, Open Meeting, Killarney 22nd November 2014, AGM, Cobh, Cork.

12 | FuneralTimes

A Civil Engineer by training, Colm Kieran has grown up around the family funeral business of Kieran Bros. Funeral Directors in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. In 2011, Colm decided to move from a part time involvement in the business to a full time role and since then has undertaken the construction and completion of Kingscourt’s first funeral home as well as the re-branding of the business to “Kieran Bros Funeral Care�. Colm agreed to his co-option to the Board of the IAFD and we look forward to working with Colm and further enhancing the IAFD.

Mary first worked for Golden Charter as a regional support manager for 8 years introducing and setting-up the funeral pre-planning concept with funeral directors throughout Ireland. Mary then began working for Massey Bros in February 2009, in head office, she then moved to the Crumlin office and progressed to become the branch manager in Templeogue. Mary agreed to her co-option to the Board of the IAFD, we look forward to working with Mary and further enhancing the IAFD.

The importance of the embalming report form

By Todd W. Van Beck, July 30, 2010

T

imes have changed. Nothing is the same, absolutely nothing. There was a time in funeral service when the world was pretty set, pretty solid, and pretty secure and pretty simple. No more. Times have changed and

the changes in funeral service have, as with all change, been both a blessing and a curse.

One of the curses of operating any type of enterprise today is the glaring, ever present potential of litigation, and frankly anybody, FuneralTimes | 13

IAFD News absolutely anybody who doubts this, denies this, ignores this or even argues with this, is living in another time and place, they are kicking dinosaurs so to speak.

Here are some examples of kicking dinosaurs in the funeral service profession. Let’s see: “I know what my families want.” “My families love me.” “That stuff only happens in the big cities, not here.” “Why would anybody want to sue me?”

Yes, to be sure you probably know exactly and precisely what the families want, and yes to be sure every family you have ever served probably worships you, and yes there is a big difference at times between big city funeral service and funeral service in say Tiny Rock, Iowa. But concerning the question 'why would anybody want to sue me', that answer is easy and quick – MONEY. No one in any enterprise is beyond being sued. No one, let that one fact be understood, and while most every attorney I have ever worked with are fair reasonable human beings, there are some that are not, and they might well be working in your town or they are brought to your town from outside. While most every family I have ever worked with are fair reasonable human beings, there are some who were not reasonable and fair in any stretch of the imagination, and so we hearken the old English law precept of “caveat venitor” which means “let the seller beware.” In funeral service we, not the consumer, need to beware. It is not just let the buyer beware these days its let everybody concerned beware.

Let us make no mistake, the risk of doing a funeral, any aspect of a funeral, has increased in tandem with the risks of just being in any type of business enterprise. Sad but true.

So let’s dive into the specific issue of the wisdom, and that is the word, the wisdom, of using embalming report forms.

Friends, just look at Google and type in the words “negligent embalming cases” and if any doubting Thomas’s are out there in the funeral 14 | FuneralTimes

world probably a quick conversion in affirming the wisdom of using embalming report forms will happen.

The arguments against using embalming report forms in the year 2014 really remind me of the arguments that many funeral directors made thirty years ago about staying in the ambulance service. In the end getting out of the ambulance service was absolutely the right thing to do, look at who, if any, is still in the ambulance business? Today starting to use embalming report forms is absolutely the right thing to do.

Thirty years ago the final question was this concerning ambulance service “Do I risk losing the entire funeral home over a lousy $25.00 ambulance call, for which I will never get paid?” The answer was a resounding NO, and thousands upon thousands of funeral directors dumped the ambulance service.

Today the question ought to be on every funeral directors lips “Do I risk losing the entire funeral home by NOT using a lousy 3 cent embalming report form?” The answer ought to be a resounding NO. I personally believe the State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers across this country should make it a state requirement to obtain a establishment license that the embalming report form is mandatory and used on each and every case, whether embalming takes place or not.

Embalming report forms are easy to fill out.

They offer a paper trail, and the only people that I have encountered after 42 years in funeral service who don’t want a paper trail are the people who don’t want their professional activities documented. Now there is an interesting, haunting and sobering thought.

The argument that we are already piled up with paperwork just does not work. Paper work is just part of business, and as far as I can see it is never going to end (at least in my lifetime). I get humored when I run into funeral directors who still resent the

IAFD News requirements of the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule. That is a sad state of affairs. The FTC requirements which included mandatory paperwork became the law of the land on April 30, 1984. That is today over a quarter of a century ago and still we have seminars on the subject, and still we have colleagues who detest the Rule.

If a funeral director is biased against the paperwork of the Federal government, or the State government, or the local government or even the internal management paperwork of the funeral home, I believe this is a mistake in management with a capital “M”.

There was a time in the 1880’s when undertakers actually pitched a fit over being required to completed death certificates, but who survived in funeral service who did not comply with that new change?

I have been involved in many law suits serving as an expert witness which have been brought against funeral homes concerning the contemporary litigation subject of negligent embalming. Here is the truth – the only funeral homes that had a chance in Hades of winning were exclusively the funeral homes that could produce a completed and well documented embalming report form. This is true in every instance that I have been involved with.

The opposite however is also true. The funeral home who had nothing in writing, no report, or worse a poorly completed report ended up being at the mercy of the opposing attorney and the courts have a pretty consistent history of siding with grieving, bereaved, weeping, and mourning families – whether in reality they are that tore up or not.

To be sure funeral home management is more complicated today than ever before in our history. We have to cope and survive a myriad of agencies and outsider’s looking in at us. Let’s see, we cope with the State Board of Funeral Directors, the Federal Trade Commission, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Americans With Disabilities

Act, the IRS, the State Dept. of Revenue, the Department of Transportation, Wage and Hour, Truth in Advertising, well the list goes on and on – so really in this already bureaucratic environment of daily business a simple embalming report form which takes an embalmer about 3 minutes to complete pales in comparison with what is today a normal amount of paper work in every funeral home in the United States.

I remember very well one funeral director (a buddy of mine) who was very full of himself and announced at a state board meeting that embalming report forms were nonsense, he didn’t believe in them, he refused to use them, he hated them, and in his expert opinion only neurotic funeral directors would fall for such silliness. He knew his families, no one would ever dare to sue him, people loved him, he never made a mistake, and his firm handled things way, way beyond the minor pesky issue of legal litigation.

He strutted out of the meeting, mighty pleased and impressed with himself. He presented himself that day as the voice of god, and because he was a buddy of mine, I felt embarrassed for him.

However in a couple of years I had been engaged as an expert witness for this very funeral director, because unbelievably one of “his” personal friends, one of “his” fan club members was suing him for negligent embalming. Doesn’t matter if the body looked wonderful or not, he was getting sued.

His behaviour in the courtroom was considerably different than his behaviour at the state board meeting. He was just stunned.

This was Iowa he told me, nobody ever sued anybody in Iowa (of course that was not true).

People were nice in Iowa, they were mostly farmers, mostly church going people, mostly hardworking people, by and large wonderful people, and they were as he reminded me “his” people.

That was all mostly true about Iowa people, FuneralTimes | 15

but the people suing him were not from Iowa, they were not particularly nice, they were not farmers, they were not church going people, they were not hardworking, they were not wonderful people and they certainly were not “his” people, they didn’t like this funeral director at all, they were suing him, and their antagonism towards him was abundantly evident at the hearing and trial.

When his attorney called to ask me to help out the first question I had was this, “Can you send me the embalming report form as soon as possible?” The attorney responded, “He doesn’t have one.” Gee whiz, surprises of surprises, this funeral director who detested embalming report forms didn’t have one – well at least I could compliment him on his consistency. He didn’t like forms, and he, by god, didn’t use any, so there!

I have found two words in the English language that has caused a bunch of nice people a bunch of avoidable problems and here are the two haunting words “TOO LATE.” The words “too late” have created more avoidable problems that anything else I can think of in my career and life, and certainly this buddy of

mine was “too late” concerning the easy issue of filling out simple embalming report forms.

In the end this funeral director arrived at a cash settlement with this family and the settlement was not chicken feed, it hurt his pocket book as well as hurting his reputation with “his” people. The gossips had a field day.

Interestingly this funeral director we are discussing starting using embalming report forms. He discovered that it was wise, sensible and mature to do so. The reports just helped him sleep better at night.

I personally would rather use an embalming report form to help me sleep than worry about the risky possibilities in not using them.

Embalming reports are simple, easy to fill out and easily had and they are worth ten valium.

Times have changed, and I always remember a wise person once told me that the opposite of courage is not cowardness, it is conformity, and it is staying locked to protecting how things were always done, instead of honestly looking at things as they are and how they are changing.

Anyway that is one man’s opinion.

Todd W. Van Beck

Funeral Director Henry Black, Cobh, Co. Cork, President of the IAFD, taking delivery of his new Binz Hearse.

16 | FuneralTimes

IAFD News Henry Black (President) Henry Black Funeral Directors Springbank, Rushbrooke, Cobh Phone: 021 4811630 Mobile: 087 – 2544106 Michael Crowley (Vice President) Crowley Funeral Directors Bothar Saclay, Ballincollig, Co. Cork.

Phone: 021 4874777 Email: info@crowleyfuneraldirectors.ie Gerard Clarke (Hon. Secretary) Gerard Clarke & Sons Funeral Home Main Street, Balisodare, Sligo Ph: 071 – 9130700 Mobile: 087-2565310 Email: gerardclarkeandsons@eircom.net John Foley (Hon. Treasurer) Jennings Funeral Directors 81 Amien Street Dublin 1 Ph: 01- 8555511 Joanne Cooney (Immediate Past President & Education Committee - Chair) 4 Robert Street, New Ross, Co. Wexford.

Ph: 051 421416 Mobile 087 8180676 Email: joanne@cooneysfuneralhome.com

James Brown (Education Committee - Chair) Funeral Services Northern Ireland Ltd 300 Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 1HF Email: jb@james-brown.info Mary Cunniffe Massey Bros Funeral Home Templeogue Village, Dublin 6W Mobile: 085 8010742, Ph: 014 907601 Email: mary.cunniffe@hotmail.com Colm Kieran Kieran Bros. Funeral Directors Kingscourt, Co. Cavan Mobile: 087 6218740 , Ph: 042 9667309 Email: colmkiernan@gmail.com Dermot McCarthy McCarthy’s Funeral Home Gurrane, Banteer, Cork.

Ph: 029-56044 Email: dermot@mccarthy-auctioneer.com John O’Donoghue John O’Donoghue & Sons, Funeral Directors 60a Kickham Street, Clonmel Ph: 052 – 6121809 Mobile: 086-2595658 Email: jaodonoghue@eircom.net

Colman Finlay (Membership Officer) Tierney Street, Ardee, Co. Louth Ph: 041-6853603 Email: colman.finlay@finlaygrp.com Graham Gleasure (acting PRO) The Gleasure Funeral Home Matt Talbot Road, Tralee Ph; 066 7123079 fax; 066 7123193 Mobile: 086-2581443 Email: graham@gleasures.ie

www.iafd.ie FuneralTimes | 17

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Conference Down Under

F

ebruary, 2014 saw the conference of The British Institute of Embalmers Australasian Division, held in Sydney over three days. The occasion also marked 50 years since the Division’s inception. Amongst the speakers was Glyn Tallon, Tallon Mortuary Specialists, Navan, Co. Meath, who took part in the pre-conference workshop and gave two presentations.

The workshops covered many interesting topics which included a horse embalming for the Sydney University Veterinary Program.

The Friday workshop started with Glyn giving a presentation on the transformation of fresh and saltwater deaths, giving participants an insight into how to make remains of this type viewable.

Amongst other speakers there were many different embalming topics discussed such as embalming frozen deceased, different injection methods and embalming fluids. Also present were a series of trade stands such as Genelyn, Dodge, Eckels, VM3, Hyquil, Promed and

many others. Saturday’s presentation by Glyn was on transforming decomposed remains into viewable remains and Sunday’s presentation was on massive head trauma and soft tissue injuries and the different techniques to restore these cases to a lifelike appearance in order to give the family opportunities to say goodbye to their loved ones.

Glyn Tallon with Ian Warren, Chair of the Australasian Division of the British Institute of Embalmers.

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Australasian Division of The British Institute of Embalmers a truly impressive cake was created

by Jeffrey Olofsson in the guise of an old school porti-boy.

FuneralTimes | 19

: : :

BIE News A

meeting took place on the 23rd March 2014 in Osprey Hotel, Naas, Co, Kildare.

There was a good attendance on the day.

Many subjects were covered, one of which was the Irish Hospice Foundation and their design and dignity programme as part of the end of life forum. A representative from their committee will make a presentation to the BIE at a meeting which will be announced to members later.

The secretary of the Northern Ireland Division Margaret Davis was on to our Division and invited us to have a joint meeting with them on 11th June, 2014 at 7.30pm at W.T Morrisons Funeral Home, 41 Darling Street, Enniskillen, Co, Fermanagh.

We have replied and have accepted their invitation. Accommodation and information on the meeting will be sent to members in the coming weeks.

The Educational Committee are working on providing a demonstration on the modern art of embalming and different types of embalming fluid. It is hoped that this will be

run in the Munster region and an invitation to the Northern Ireland Division will be offered.

Members will be informed in the coming months.

Our National Representative, John Hawe, traveled to England recently and informed the meeting of events that are taking place at a National level and kept our members up to date within the Division.

Presentation of Certificates were made to Shane Casey, Inchigeelagh, Co. Cork and to Susan Moran, Clane, Co. Kildare. Both were offered best wishes on the day on their future careers. Following the presentations tea and coffee were served, all present were thanked for their attendance and wished a safe journey home.

NOTE for Diary -- The next meeting will take place on 11th June 2014 at W. T. Morrisons Funeral Home 41 Darling Street, Enniskillen, Co, Fermanagh which will be our third joint quartley meeting.

Best Regards Aidan Walsh

The Annual General Meeting and first quarterly meeting of the Northern Ireland Division was held on 15th January 2014 at James Brown & Sons Funeral Directors, Newtownards Road, Belfast.

It was a memorable and honourable occasion for A.H. (Hans) Clyde M.B.I.E who was elected as Chairman of the Northern Ireland Division for the ensuing year 2014 - 2015.

The Chain of Office was delivered and positioned by four Northern Ireland Past 22 | FuneralTimes

National Presidents who were present for this meeting - Billy Doggart, Ivor McIlfatrick, Ellison Sloan and Marshall Lindsay. Also assisting, was Bernadette Dallat (previous Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Division).

Hans qualified as an embalmer and entered B.I.E. Membership on 14th September 1961 and was previously elected as Chairman for the Northern Ireland Division on the 19th January 1964.

In his opening address to the assembled membership, Hans spoke of his promise to uphold the honour and privilege in acting as their Chairman for one year.

Hans made reference to the evident advancement which has been made within the embalming profession over the past 50 years, resulting in a positive promotion of creating, maintaining and improving standards of excellence holistically within the funeral profession.

He spoke respectfully of Mr J.T. Doggart (father of Billy Doggart) who back in 1959 had encouraged him to enter the world of embalming. Hans commenced his training at the Doggart School of Embalming in Belfast in a class of four students. One of his fellow students was Mr Paddy Dallat (father of Peter Dallat and father-in-law of Bernadette Dallat A.H. (Hans) Clyde M.B.I.E - members) and the remaining two fellow students were from had held office in the previous year and Scotland. All four students were successful thanked them personally for their dedication in achieving their embalming qualification and commitment to The Northern Ireland at that time.

Division and to all who had placed the Much credit was directed to Mr Billy honour of the Chairman’s position to him Doggart, Mr Victor Malcomson and the late on this occasion. He encouraged a full Mr Gerry McArdle who had delivered the attendance of membership at organised theoretical aspect of training and supported meetings for the year ahead and in closing, the students through to the completion of delivered the following statement: their training. “50 years since I was previously placed In 1964, during his term as Chairman, in this position, I trust I will prove a true Hans and Billy Doggart were responsible and faithful ambassador for this wonderful for the addition of gold circular mounts, Division�. including six Heraldic Shields, which were We as a Division would take this placed around the ring of the Chain of Office opportunity to thank Hans for his untiring (The B.I.E. Badge was originally presented dedication and commited service to the to The Northern Ireland Division by the Northern Ireland Division over the past Midland Division, England on its Divisional 50 years and wish him every success and Installation). continued health in fulfilling his role as Chairman for the ensuing year 2014.

Hans paid tribute to the Members who FuneralTimes | 23

List of BIE Officers and appointed representatives for 2013/2014 National President: Scott Grigsby R.A. Adams Ltd 117 High Street, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 7QA Mobile: 01268 743102 Imm. Past President: Phil Hoggarth Mobile: 07900 162477 philhoggarth@aol.com National PRO & National General Secretary: Mrs Karen Caney FBIE White Meadow Cottage, Brailsford, Derby DE6 3DA Tel: 01332 349035(BIE) Mobile: 07786 432014 karencaney@btopenworld.com National Treasurer: Michael Liddle MBIE 10 Yew Tree Close, Silsoe MK45 4EQ Business Tel: 01582 490005 Home Tel: 01525 860117 michael@silsloe.wanadoo.co.uk Editor: Gwen Schofield MBIE 9 Seymour Walk, Meltham, Holmfirth HD9 4BP Home Tel: 01484 851994 Mobile: 07778 279100 gwen.schofield@ntlworld.com Master Fellow: Ken Morgan FBIE “Evergreens”, 36 Coley Road, Little Haywood, Stafford ST18 0UW Home Tel: 01889 881223 Business Tel: 01902 878425 Mobile: 07970 831760 k.m.morgan@virgin.net Student Liaison Officer: Timothy Cain MBIE Hillcrest, 38 Main Street, Ashby de la Launde LN4 3JG Home Tel: 01526 321396 jackie@lymn.co.uk 24 | FuneralTimes

Irish Division National Council Rep & Secretary: Ms Barbara Fowley MBIE Mobile: 086 191 1022 Chairperson: Aidan Walsh Cappoquin, Co. Waterford Mobile: 00353 87 2847831 Vice Chairperson and National Council Representative: Mr John Hawe MBIE 12 Meadow Vale, Smith’s Road, Charleville, Co. Cork Home Tel: 00353 6389280 Mobile: 087 6390087 jmhawe@eircom.net National Education Representative: Glyn Tallon Mortuary Specialist 14 Academy Street Navan Co Meath Tel:046 9029134 Mobile: 086 826 8876 Treasurer: Mrs A O’Reilly MBIE Church Street, Newmarket, Co. Cork Telephone: 029 60142 annaoreilly4@hotmail.com Past Chairman: Mr Ger O’Sullivan MBIE Mobile: 086 021 5075

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Willowfield prize winners A

well deserved congratulations to Marie Keenan and her son Christopher from East Belfast who won the Willowfield Private Funeral Home Valentine competition on Facebook. The prize was a 3-course meal for two in a local restaurant which the two lucky winners enjoyed on Valentine’s night. The prize included the winners being chauffer-driven to and from the restaurant in a black Mercedes Benz and a bottle of Pictured L-R: Director Stephen Love with the competition winner Marie wine. Well done Marie Keenan and her son Christopher. and Christopher.

26 | FuneralTimes

H E N R Y PATO N + C o . L t d Appointed Distributor for Ireland

Blue Mist Casket Prompt delivery service from stock throughout Ireland For details of our full range of Batesville hardwood and metal caskets contact: Henry Paton & Co. Ltd, Mill Street, Tullow, Co Carlow.

Tel: 059 - 9151286 email: henrypaton@eircom.net Alec Paton Mob: 087 2578005 William Paton Mob: 087 6787115 Seamus Jones Mob: 087 2637232

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FuneralTimes | 27

always beneficial

promoting and protecting the future of the independent funeral director

visit us online at www.saif.org.uk for more benefits

SAIF exists solely to support independent funeral directors throughout the UK, by delivering experienced advice, a powerful lobbying voice, up-to-the-minute information and a superb range of member benefits.

In an increasingly competitive climate SAIF helps you keep an edge by offering: • • • • • •

High value member benefits, services and support Easy access to first class training Recognised member standards for your client’s reassurance Great networking opportunities An experienced and dedicated team National visibility on the SAIF website

Find out more about the benefits of being a SAIF member at www.saif.org.uk

Enjoy the benefits for your business The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, SAIF Business Centre, 3 Bullfields, Sawbridgeworth, Herts CM21 9DB

SAIF news ... SAIF news ...

National recognition for Kent Funeral Director

M

ark Woollard, owner of Woollard & Kent, Funeral Directors in Whitstable and Canterbury was elected President of the National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) at the SAIF Annual General Meeting weekend in March.

Mark, received his chain of office from Richard Edwards SAIF immediate past president, in recognition for the hard work he has carried out for the Society over the past 14 years. He has served as a Quality Assurance assessor, inspecting members’ premises to ensure they comply with the Society’s high standards, been a member of the National Executive Committee and has been a Governor and Trainer for the Independent Funeral Directors College, using his wealth of experience to train new, and not so new, entrants to the funeral profession.

Mark has nominated, CRISIS, a national charity for single homeless people, as his charity for the year. For the past 18 years Mark has volunteered to work for 10 days over Christmas for ‘Crisis at Christmas’ which is a vital lifeline for thousands of homeless people. They offer food, shelter, support and companionship during the holiday time and help people take the first step out of homelessness.

Mark Woollard President of the National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF)

SAIF Business Centre Update

Helpful Guideline

Were you aware that the employment allowance (EA) could possibly cut your NI bill by £2,000?

Obviously there are exclusions, but it is worth speaking to your accountant to ensure that you don’t miss out – alternatively, the HMRC website offers more information on this encouraging allowance.

Whilst it is not currently a legal requirement to have a staff handbook, this provision is considered best practice as it ensures that all policies, procedures and other rules are clearly stated in one place. Basically this means that not only will your employees and line Managers have a single point of reference, but worst case scenario should you be subject to a tribunal, you can prove that you had a clear and fair process in place for all staff.

FuneralTimes | 29

SAIF Anniversary SAIF are this year, celebrating 25 years supporting and promoting the Independent and are proud to have achieved this milestone.

Why don’t you join SAIF officers, Executive and other guests at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Stansted, on Saturday 20th September for a succulent dinner and sensational fun night?

The entertainment promises to ensure that this will be one of SAIF’s best events, so don’t miss out.

Due to space limitation, we advise early booking to avoid disappointment.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Stansted

Name/s of attendees:

Address:

Post Code:

Total (£35 per head)

Book your accommodation direct with the Radisson Blu Hotel Tel: 01279 661 012 quoting SAIF to ensure you receive the discounted rates.

Flood Planning for the Future With the past winter floods across the country, have you thought how this might affect you or your business if you were flooded? We are already aware that the insurance industry has warned that many properties could become uninsurable against flooding and we don’t expect that situation to change any time soon.

Even if you were not affected, preparing for the possibility of a flood can only be a positive move. Consider all factors, sealing the floors, raising power sockets, actually fit flood barriers, could your staff or even suppliers be affected? Your future is your business; ensure you look after your future.

Flooding ruined many homes and businesses earlier this year

Through our own personal experience we received the inspiration to set up Treasured Keepsakes, to give people a wide variety of options upon a loved one’s passing should they choose to keep a lock of hair, cremated remains, a piece of jewellery, a photograph or anything that is a personal reminder of their loved one in a small keepsake, keepsake pendant or urn.

Funeral directors we are currently working with have tailored our service to suit their needs. We have two options of how our service can work for you.

If you wish you can buy our products from us at a wholesale price and sell them directly to your clients.

Alternatively we can offer this service to your clients directly.

We would hope that by recommending our service we will enhance and add value to your business at no extra cost to you.

For more information contact us or visit our website Tel: 01 825 4579 From NI: 00353 1 825 4579 info@treasuredkeepsakes.ie www.treasuredkeepsakes.ie

By Mattie Lennon

The Irish Wake I

n the nineteenth and early twentieth century the party held before a person departed for the USA was known as an American Wake. This was because, whatever about the person’s siblings seeing them again, it was highly unlikely that the parents would ever set eyes on that son or daughter again.

Of course when an Irish person died in America an Irish Wake would be held there. This prompted the great Seanachi, Eamon Kelly, to say, “The best American wakes were held in Ireland and the best Irish wakes were held in America.”

At home the traditional Irish Wake was held up until about forty years ago. When the body of the dead person was “laid out” (there was usually one person in the area who traditionally did this) friends and neighbours would arrive. Nowadays when there is a house-wake the deceased is usually in a coffin but in olden times the corpse was left in a bed, dressed in a brown habit. The smell of wax-candles would fill the room and Holy water from a dish would be sprinkled by each visitor.

There would be lots of food and plenty of drink to be consumed. Clay pipes, tobacco and snuff would be distributed. The simile “like snuff at a wake” has entered the lexicon of expressions.

People would come and socialise and remember the departed person’s life. Unless it was the tragic death of a young person it would be more of a party than a funeral. The “parlour games”, sometimes boisterous, were not perceived as disrespectful of irreverent but as a means going some small way to help the bereaved deal with their grief. It was the traditional Irish way of celebrating one’s life and ensuring that they had a good send off. People adhered to the maxim “speak well of the dead.” Cynics might say that this was carried to the point of hypocrisy. In Sean McCarthy’s song you’ll find the lines; O’ gra o chroi twas sad to see the poor man on the bed.

A mane oul craytor when alive but a fine man now he’s dead.

32 | FuneralTimes

And according to his fellow county man, that great chronicler of rural life, the late, great John B. Keane, one departed man was remembered thus; “He responded neither to prayers nor to priestly touch and since they could not countenance his damnation in the presence of outsiders they felt it was in order to construe his final fart as a deathbed conversion.” On another occasion the famous Listowel man had this to say, “How proud we would be if we could see previews of our funerals. What a shame the deceased cannot acknowledge the regard of those who loved him not in life but lauded him in death.”

In his book ‘Irish Wake Amusements’, folklore author Sean O Suilleabhain gave a detailed account of what went on at wakes after the Rosary was recited at midnight; From songs that couldn’t be sung in the presence of a maiden aunt to games bordering on the obscene. All sorts of tricks were played, mixing pepper with the tobacco, tying old men’s coats to chairs, hiding under the bed of the corpse and shaking it to frighten those of a nervous disposition.

Sometimes the Rosary would be recited more than once. The Rosary would usually be “given

out” by an important figure - teacher or leader who would recite the first decade then the relatives would take part.

Charlie Reilly lived with his father in Ballynultagh, an isolated and thinly populated glen in the heart of the Wicklow mountains. The nearest shop was in Lacken, three miles away. One day Charlie set out for Lacken to buy provisions.

When he arrived he found that a local person had died and a wake was in progress. He partook of the hospitality of the wake-house and stuic around for the funeral; taking the corpse to the Church in the evening and the burial next day.

By the time the funeral was over another person had died and Charlie attended that wake and funeral and all that went with it. It was almost a week before he arrived back home. When his father asked where he was he was told, “I was at two funerals in Lacken; how is it we never have a funeral here”?

But the Irish wake is not dead (pun intended.)

Two different Funeral Directors in a town in Donegal set up funeral parlours. It didn’t catch on. In the words of one local Undertaker, “The

wake in the family home is still, even to this day, the way people express their condolences to the bereaved family.”

Steven Smith, a Columbus, Ohio native, is a “different” Irish American. He is an “Irish wake instructor”, teaching people about the Irish way of dealing with death, in particular the tradition of wakes in 19th century Ireland. Sometimes described as “the eccentric Irish American” he believes Irish wakes are “the healthiest way for the mourners to participate in the send-off of the deceased.”

Steven, who works in a tent made up as an Irish cottage, tells his audiences , “Irish wakes became more like parties because it was illegal for Irishmen to be together at the one time, in case they were planning a rebellion against the British Government. The exceptions to this rule were weddings and funerals. So they really made the most of those times.” He says that many funeral parlours contact him for advice on preparing an Irish wake. “It is a real celebration of life, and the life of the person leaving the community,” he says.

TO IRISH ROAD SHOWS

WITH CAFFREYSTONE & FEELYSTONE Demonstrating the new CNC Rotary Engraving Machine Mobile cemetery pots, blast cabinet and latest Masonart software with “New” designs Venues:

Hodson Bay Hotel - Hodson Bay Athlone Wed 21st May, 11am till late Thur 22nd May 2014, 10am - 6pm with Tony Caffrey Feelystone Boyle Limited, Boyle County Roscommon Fri 23rd May, 11am till late Sat 24th May 2014, 10am - 6pm with Finbarr Feely FuneralTimes | 33

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The ICCFA All Star Annual Convention and Exposition April 8-11 2014, Las Vegas, Nevada Jennifer Muldowney reports for Funeral Times from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

T

here was a great representation from the Irish contingent - Farewell Celtic Ashes, Mourning Cross, and Eco Legacy.

Farewell Celtic Ashes (celtic-ashes.com) is glass memorial jewellery, not unlike a lot of others that are currently flooding the market but the key difference is the fact that the pieces are handmade with cremated remains, in Ireland. This is especially important or valuable if you are an Irish American who always wanted to ‘rest’ in Ireland. This can be quite expensive if you have all of the cremation remains shipped to Ireland but with Farewell Celtic Ashes only a teaspoon of ashes is required to make up a beautiful piece of jewellery and the ashes not used in the piece are sprinkled on Irish soil.

Mourning Cross (mourningcross.com) and sisters Kate Hamilton and Joanne Callan are well known in Ireland amongst funeral directors. In the States they are steadily growing in popularity thanks to the help and support of The Harbeson Group. Their Mourning Cross Bereavement Pins are proving popular and not just amongst the Irish American Funeral Directors. Jewish and other faith specific directors were very interested in the Mourning Pin concept. There was another company (grievingtogether.ca) supplying mourning products including black ribbons, which proves the concept.

And last but definitely not least on the Irish front is the great Ecolegacy. Most Irish funeral directors may have heard about these guys

36 | FuneralTimes

Kate Hamilton, Mourning Cross with Jeff Harbeson of The Harbeson Group from the FIAT IFTA conference in Ireland in 2012 but since then that have been going from strength to strength. I was very lucky to have witnessed the first public ‘EcoLation’ this year and with investment pouring in from across the globe, I am very excited to see how these guys develop over the next 12 months.

In case you have been hiding under a rock, EcoLation is a non-flame technology that will provide a sustainable alternative to burial or cremation. The body is chilled until it becomes brittle like glass, then pressure waves pass back and forth over the body finally reducing it to an inert ash with all harmful substances removed.

In other parts of the world, dynamic innovation was also key

Ned, Eric and Charles of Memorial Payment Solutions on their stand with Jennifer Muldowney

Jeff Harbeson, Jennifer Muldowney, Kate Hamilton and Gail Rubin, 'the Doyenne of Death'

and those exhibiting at the ICCFA All Star Convention came out in force to put their mark on the industry.

Memorial Payment Solutions (memorialpay.com) offer funeral directors new options in terms of payment for at need clients. They offer a home’s customers quick and easy payment options including a single stop for credit card processing, cheque verification, insurance assignments and short-term loans. As the industry moves away from the traditional sources of revenue, the cost of money has become more and more of an issue. Although these guys are not YET available to funeral homes in Ireland the guys are currently working on European links and made some serious movements towards that at the show. One to watch.

Jeff Harbeson of The Harbeson Group (theharbesongroup.com), or the Funeral Commander as he likes to be referred to, is a fun southern guy with a big imagination for the industry and an even bigger personality. He has linked up with our very own Kate Hamilton of Mourning Cross Bereavement Pins (mourningcross.com) and along with Kate will be promoting DNA Memorial (dnamemorial.com), which is a Canadian business who specialize in storing a person’s DNA indefinitely in regulated DNA storage and also the ability for genetic research

and information. An interesting group of innovative products and services.

Tribute Art by Wyland (tributeart.com) is a new line of bronze sculptures by renowned marine life artist Robert Wyland. They are remembrance sculptures that house the ashes of a loved one inside a beautiful art sculpture and will certainly appeal to over 500,000 collectors of Wyland’s artwork. An art lovers dream final resting place.

Other ‘stars’ to note included Billion Graves (billiongraves.com) who are trying to help future generations to locate their family. It sounded like the Google of the grave world and they had the cutest little dog called Solomen at their booth so they got my vote!

And just on that note, marketing and ‘accessorizing’ booths at these exhibitions are critical in attracting interest, investment, sales and journalists. Two great booths that used promotional tools effectively were ASD with their Lego cemetery and Funeralwise. com with their USB stick in the shape of a headstone and other exhibitors used bone shaped candy to attract attention.

Farewell Pet Funeral Kit (farewellpetkit.com) is a casket or urn kit for burying pets with love and involving the family creatively. It seemed especially designed for children with very simplistic literature, inclusion of workbooks, pots of paint and brushes. I think this is great idea for getting children to deal with their grief in the FuneralTimes | 37

Tel: 0845 2574305 Web: www.brookyork.com Email: info@brookyork.com 38 | FuneralTimes

Call for a Brochure

Unique Mourning Products early years which will help when they have to come to terms with human loss as they get older.

And lastly there was a development from Meadow Hill Corp who brought us Thumbies, now brings a TFScanner which allows funeral directors to easily fingerprint all of the deceased (or living) in a matter of seconds without ink. This can be used

for thumbie memorials or identifying the body and is easy to use with smart phone, App and a small device that attaches to the phone. The convention as a whole won a lot of hearts with the supply of complimentary food and drink throughout the exhibiting hours which made for a more happy exhibiting force and more investors or buyers staying in the hall during exhibiting hours instead of leaving to grab lunch and maybe not coming back into the hall which would equal less sales.

All in all the conference was a success with lots of action happening outside of exhibiting hours like Archie Griffin opening the show and Stedman Graham (Mr Oprah Winfrey) doing a motivating key note speech that included a 9 point rule for success. I went to get a copy of his book and a photo only to find out he had sold out after 30 minutes and had left the building. Cue - a not so happy Jennifer.

The ICCFA All Star Convention in Las Vegas was good, could have been better but on the whole, as a gamble, I think it was a sure winner and look forward to the next one.

FuneralTimes | 39

New hearse from Fearghas Quinn Padraig Ward from Ballybay, County Monaghan with his new hearse from Fearghas Quinn Hearse and Limousine

40 | FuneralTimes

New delivery from Fearghas Quinn Gerard and Gary McCool from Ballybofey, County Donegal with their new Hearse supplied by Fearghas Hearse 1and Limousine Padraics CivilQuinn Advert_Layout 13/08/2013 10:43 Page 1

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s a fully qualified Civil Funeral Celebrant with a wealth of experience, I can provide a sensitive, discreet, and professional service tailored to your requirements. A Civil Funeral Ceremony is for anyone, regardless of their beliefs. There is no set format for a civil funeral ceremony. Each ceremony is unique – as unique as the person who has died; as unique as the life they lived.

It is a ceremony created especially to celebrate their life.

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FuneralTimes | 41

Venue: Maldron Hotel, Oranmore, Galway Date: 10th May 2014 Time: 10:00 am Guest Speaker: Dr. Elizabeth Brosnan

We will be joined by fellow members and guests from the US.

For accommodation, directions and other details Please contact Ms Martina Burns at secretary@professionalembalmers.ie 086 - 3845446 Meeting agenda is available in our website www.professionalembalmers.ie

42 | FuneralTimes

I

reland is still far behind other European Ireland isand still far developed behind other European countries other countries around countries and other developed countries around the globe when it comes to laws and regulations the globetowhen it comes to lawsOn and relating the funeral industry. theregulations contrary, relating to the funeral industry. In the contrary, our our funeral tradition is far richer if not equally as funeral tradition is far richer if not equally as rich as rich asofmost these countries. is our unique most theseofcountries.

It is ourIt unique tradition tradition thatusmakes Irish it is because of that makes Irish us and it and is because of this this tradition thatthe we,funeral the funeral tradition that we, sector,sector, exists.exists.

The funeral services and embalming practice funeral embalming practice has hasThe evolved in services so manyand ways over the past twenty evolved in so many for the cannot past twenty years. years. The value of ways our services be denied The value of our services bethe denied of the of the vitality of the role itcannot plays in grieving vitality of the role it plays in the grieving and healing and healing process after the tragedy of losing a process after the tragedy of losing a loved-one. But is loved-one. But is the value of this role completely the value of this role completely understood or being understood or being practised by everyone involved practised by everyone involved in the funeral in the funeral industry?

TheatIrish legislation the industry?

The Irish legislation the moment doesatnot moment does notus seem to beand giving us borders and seem to be giving borders directions relating directions relating to of thethe industry.

So due of inthe to the industry.

So due lack of legislation the lack of sector legislation in theafuneral sectorofindedicated Ireland, funeral in Ireland, small group Embalmers, whoofsaw the direEmbalmers, need of standardisation a small group dedicated who saw of practice, hadof the convened and thethe dire embalming need of standardisation embalming initiated fully convened Irish association for Embalmers that practice,ahave and initiated a fully Irish would dedicate and promote an embalming standard association for Embalmers that would dedicate that is set to equal if not exceed the standards of and promote an embalming standard that is set to other countries and organisations globally. equal if not exceed the standards of other countries andThe organisations globally.

Professional Embalmers’ Association of The Professional of Ireland (PEAI) is anEmbalmers’ organisationAssociation based in Ireland Ireland (PEAI) is an organisation based in Ireland representing professional embalming practitioners.

The PEAI actively representsembalming the Irish Embalmers at representing professional practitioners. the level. represents PEAI believes the importance TheEuropean PEAI actively theinIrish Embalmers of having an level.

Irish PEAI organisation at the European believes inwhich the can independently represent Irish embalmers andwhich that importance of having an Irish organisation members will have their own voice in Europe and can independently represent Irish embalmers internationally. The PEAI also provides continuous and thatinmembers should have their ownhas voice support training and education and also a very in Europe internationally.

Thesupport PEAI also helpful andand effective practical work system provides continuous support in training and for members. education and also has a very helpful and effective It is the aimsupport of the PEAIfor that professional practical work system members. embalming standards withinthat Ireland be raised and It is the aim of the PEAI professional maintained a level thatwithin is worthy of be raised and embalmingatstandards Ireland international The driving force maintained recognition. at a level that ismain worthy of international behind it all is the genuine understanding and recognition. The main driving force behind it all is themselves and the bereaved families whose lives are the genuine understanding and themselves and the

bereaved families whose lives are being touched in so many ways by of thetheir passing away sobeing manytouched ways byinthe passing away lovedof their loved-ones. ones.

The PEAI is gaining more interest from both The PEAI is gaining more interest from both the the ‘traditional & experienced’ embalmers and ‘traditional & experienced’ embalmers and even from even from youngprofessionals. aspiring professionals.

In theyear, young aspiring In the previous previous year, PEAI awarded new full membership PEAI awarded new full membership certificates to the certificates 30 members!

This is certainly to nearly to 30nearly members!

This is certainly a huge a breakthrough huge breakthrough for PEAI the PEAI for the and and the the embalming practice in Ireland. embalming practice in Ireland.

The PEAI is not an ‘exclusive’ organisation but is PEAI is not an ‘exclusive’ organisation but is openThe to all professional embalmers and practising open to all professional embalmers and practising embalmers who wish to adopt and promote the embalmers who wish to adopt and promote the PEAI PEAI standards of embalming practice here in standards of embalming practice here in Ireland and Ireland and abroad. abroad.

If you are interested in joining the Professional Embalmers’ Association a If you are interested of inIreland joining and the be Professional part of a growing professional embalming Embalmers’ Association of Ireland and be a part of a growingandprofessional practice and practice organisationembalming feel free to contact organisation feelPEAI free to contact at Martina Martina Burns, Secretary 0863Burns, 845 PEAI Secretary at 0863 845 446 / oremail: 446 / email: martinakburns@hotmail.com martinakburns@hotmail.com or David McGowan, David McGowan, PEAI Chairperson at 0872 PEAI Chairperson at 0872 437 063 email: 437 063 email: mcgowand@eircom.net. www. mcgowand@eircom.net. professionalembalmers.ie www.professionalembalmers.ie PEAI PEAIGeneral GeneralMeeting Meeting The Embalmers’Association AssociationofofIreland The Professional Professional Embalmers’ Ireland would invite all its members would like to like invitetoall its members to cometotocome our toupcoming our upcoming General Meeting be held in General Meeting to be to held in Maldron th Hotel, Oranmore, GalwayGalway on 10on 10th May May 2014.

Maldron Hotel, Oranmore, Registration will start 9:30am.

We will be having an 2014.

Registration willatstart at 9:30am.

We will be educational seminar inseminar the afternoon.

Dr Elizabeth having an educational in the afternoon.

Brosnan, Endocrinologist (Mayo General Hospital) Dr Elizabeth Brosnan, Endocrinologist (Mayo will be talking about “Infectious DiseasesGeneral Hospital) will be talking about “Infectious Contamination and Prevention.” We will also be Diseasesand We will joined by Contamination our members from thePrevention.”

United States. also be joined by our members from the United States.

Details of the meeting agenda and programme for Details of the meeting agenda and programme the day are available for download in our website for www.professionalembalmers.ie/category/events. the day are available for download on our website Members may request for information via email www.professionalembalmers.ie/category/events. <info@professionalembalmers.ie or via email Members may request information secretary@professsionalembalmers.ie> <info@professionalembalmers.ie or secretary@ professsionalembalmers.ie> FuneralTimes | 43

Bragg family stick with Coleman Milne

T

homas Bragg Independent Funeral Directors have been serving the families of the bereaved since 1869. Now run and owned by fourth generation of the Bragg family, brothers Malcom, Gordon and Richard Bragg operate two sites in Shirley and Knowle in the Midlands.

The family have recently taken delivery of the very first Surelift removal vehicle based on the contemporary Ford Transit Custom. The new, mid-size option from the Ford Transit family is the most recent addition to the Coleman Milne range of removal ambulances. The fresh faced Transit Custom and the Surelift deck from Coleman Milne provides the perfect marriage of style and functionality to offer a robust and discreet removal solution.

The Transit Custom is their fifth removal vehicle from Coleman Milne, and with their twenty-second ceremonial vehicle in build at the factory, Richard Bragg said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We have been a Coleman Milne customer for over 15 years. We always go to Kevin Heath for our fleet purchases

44 | FuneralTimes

and are always thrilled with the resultsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The Surelift system is designed with ease of operation and safety of equal importance to eliminate the risks associated with manual handling. With a quiet and efficient linear actuator in each corner, the Surelift is capable of lifting 300kg on its top deck which makes it a hugely popular option for funeral operators. The Surelift is an advanced removal vehicle that embodies both the quality and endurance of Coleman Milne products.

New developments bring more flexibility to Civil Funerals M

ary Elizabeth Dillon of Civil Funerals Ireland tells us how she believes 2014 is going to be the year where Civil Funeral Services go mainstream.

Mary Elizabeth Dillon has been carrying out civil ceremonies countrywide for a number of years now and this year has been a busy one so far with services being carried out every week and more and more enquiries in between. The beauty of these services is the flexibility it brings to families who can say farewell to their loved one and celebrate that life in a way they find fitting.

Mary Elizabeth has noticed in talking to many families that while they want a civil service they are not atheists or without any belief in God. In fact they have strongly held beliefs but do not express those beliefs through church or established religion.

Neither do they hold with a Humanist belief system which excludes belief in God. Rather they grew up in established churches but have now moved away from the practice of their younger years, but when faced with a funeral they want to express their beliefs in a fitting and respectful manner. Several times recently Mary Elizabeth has come across this situation and has offered a Christian prayer service to families. ‘I have carried out a prayer service for families in a funeral home

before setting out for the crematorium or graveside’. It is a simple service of prayer and music all chosen in advance in conjunction with the family. It allows families a period of quiet with their loved one where they can express their faith with the minimum of fuss or ceremony. Afterwards they go on to have a full civil service with all the friends and colleagues present and the opportunity for eulogies and poetry etc.

It may seem strange for a Civil Celebrant to carry out a religious service but when asked about this Mary Elizabeth sees no conflict. I am a Christian myself, with strongly held beliefs and I have no problem in providing services with religious content for those who want them, equally I respect those who want a full civil ceremony with no religious content and would never push my own beliefs on those whose beliefs are different to mine. I always ask people if their loved one held any religious beliefs or how would they feel about including some prayer in the service. If the answer is no I move on and prepare a civil service but often people are glad to have the offer and accept wholeheartly. It is always worthwhile asking.

This is certainly an interesting development in a growing field and reflects changes in wider society.

Civil Funerals Ireland Simple, unique, personal funeral services • An alternative to the traditional • Celebrating Life • Reflecting the wishes and beliefs of the deceased and their loved ones • Provides an opportunity to pay a fitting tribute • Any suitable venue can be used

Mary Elizabeth Dillon is available between 9am - 11pm 7 days a week Tel ROI: 053 938 9089 / Mobile: 087 957 4476 Email: info@civilfuneralsireland.com

Funerals conducted throughout Ireland

FuneralTimes | 45

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DJ MacNeice & Co Ltd. Advertorial

Working With Formaldehyde Since the implementation of the Biocides Directive 98/8/EC now Biocides Product Regulation (BPR) a whirlwind of issues and concerns have been raised from all industries all over Europe and beyond.

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roduct Type 22 which specifically relates to active substances including its derivatives or formulations has taken a big cut when it comes to choice of chemicals that can legally be available for use in the mortuary. Morticians are now left with just Formaldehyde and a few other active substances such as Bronopol, Iodine and Quarternary Ammonium Compounds (ADBAC) which are not even heard of in an ordinary mortuary set-up, never mind being tested and proven to give satisfactory results in an embalming procedure.Whatever options the industry is left with the European Union and its member states have agencies assigned that look after the regulation and implementation. In Ireland, the Department of Agriculture controls and implements the new Biocidal Product Regulation (BPR).

The Health and Safety Authority works with industries, companies and workers in providing guidance and advice for a safer work environment and practice.

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 sets out the main provisions for securing and improving the safety, health and welfare of people at work. The law applies to all places of work, which includes the funeral service sector, regardless of how many workers are employed and includes the self-employed.

Employer Duties

The core of the legislation is the risk assessment approach and the legal duty on employers to prepare a written health and

safety document referred to as a Safety Statement. Employers (including selfemployed persons) are also responsible for creating and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.

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• Managing and conducting all work activities so as to ensure, as reasonably as practicable, the safety, health and welfare of people at work • Designing, providing and maintaining a safe place of work that has safe access and egress, and uses plant and equipment that is safe and without risk to health • Providing information, instruction, training and supervision regarding safety and health to employees • Providing and maintaining welfare facilities for employees at the workplace • Preventing risks to other people at the place of work including, for example, visitors, customers, suppliers and sales representatives • Have plans in place for emergencies

Employee Duties

Employees, including those employed on a part-time or temporary basis, also have duties including: • Comply with relevant laws to protect their own safety and health, as well as the safety and health of anyone who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work • Ensure that they are not under the influFuneralTimes | 49

DJ MacNeice & Co Ltd. Advertorial ence of any intoxicant to the extent that News they could be a danger to themselves or Late last year, Dodge Company was charged others while at work of 10 violations of the Clean Air Act at the • Cooperate with their employer with regard Massachusetts facility, as well as one charge to safety, health and welfare at work of violating the Clean Air Act and one charge of violating EPCRA at each of the other • Use in the correct manner any item profacilities. The most serious and numerous vided for protection violations were at the former Cambridge, • Participate in safety and health training Massachusetts operation. Dodge’s agreement offered by their employer • Report any dangerous situations, practices with the EPA settles charges of 10 violations of the Clean Air Act at the Massachusetts or defects that might endanger a person’s facility as well as one charge of violating the safety, health or welfare Clean Air Act and one charge of violating • Not to engage in any improper conduct EPCRA at each of the other facilities. Under that could endanger their safety or health the settlement, the company will also pay or that of anyone else a $400,000 penalty. (Source: US Environmental Protection Agency) Employers and employees are equally responsible for health and safety at work.

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remation is on the rise in Ireland according to the European Federation of Funeral Services, over 11% of deaths in Ireland, and approximately 30% in Dublin, now involve cremations. These statistics are set to continue to rise as a result of the increasing costs of burial and the scarcity of land available. With cremation there are more options to personalize like ash scattering at sea, from a hot air balloon, while skydiving, or sending them into space. There is also memorial cremation jewellery, which can be a great way to honour the deceased and allow family members to have something physical to hold onto when they need it most. It can be especially poignant if everyone lives in different countries.

Recent author, Jennifer Muldowney, isn’t, perhaps, your traditional idea of a ‘funeral service provider’. Bright, bubbly and direct, she has just released a book called Say Farewell, Your Way which details information about digital legacies, alternative funerals and preplanning a funeral. Now she has turned her hand to providing a more personal service to those who go for cremation, offering glass cremation jewellery. The jewellery uses a small piece of someone’s cremated remains and fuses them with glass to create a cloud like effect.

Based in her workshop opposite Glasnevin Cemetery, Jennifer says, “Cremation Jewellery can be a great way to honour the deceased and help family members to

remember them. Especially if everyone lives in different countries all over the world. What if your loved one’s last wish was to have their ashes scattered somewhere?

The risk of cremation is that there can often be nowhere to go to ‘speak to’ the deceased or say prayers or pause for thought. With cremation jewellery a piece of your loved one will always be with you when you need them most.”

Under Irish law, there are no specific rules or regulations regarding what becomes of the cremated remains. But that doesn’t mean you can scatter them everywhere. You can scatter them on your own private property or with the permission of the owner.

FuneralTimes | 53

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Solutions and Dilutions

By Jack Adams, CFSP, MBIE

W

e hear a lot about increases in life expectancy and medical advances increasing even faster. The average life expectancy for the US in 1900 was 47 years of age with only one person in 25 ever reaching the age of 60. The Centres for Disease Control reports that in 2010 the life expectancy was a record-breaking 78.7 years. This sounds very impressive but if you check a study put together by the U.S. National Research Council, you’ll see that out of 16 affluent nations, the U.S. male life expectancy is 75 (the lowest in the 16 nations studied), and 81 for females, higher only than Denmark in the study. The U.S. may be wealthy but not healthy. The problem has little to do with the health system but more to do with American habits and risk factors. High calorie diets, drug use, including prescription drugs, not using seat belts, and violent deaths with guns are all factors mentioned in the study. The U.S. spends much more than other nations on health care but we don’t live as long as some of our European friends. The effects of prolonging life, and death, are commonly seen in the difficult cases of today. This is an era of medical miracles and advanced chemotherapeutic treatment allow people to live longer, but also can have negative effects on organs and tissue. We all know by now that embalming isn’t getting easier!

Importance of Pre-injections and Co-injections In Robert Mayer’s book, “Embalming – History, Theory, Practice” (Fifth Edition, 2012, Chapter 23) it notes that drugs, chemotherapy, and drug addiction cause damage to the organ systems. Malfunctioning of the systems cause nitrogenous wastes (ammonia) to build 56 | FuneralTimes

Jack is Dodge’s busiest embalming educator and lecturer.

Along with working for Dodge as a sales representative in northern Illinois, he is an Embalming Lab Instructor at Worsham College. up in the tissues, making them moist and spongy. This build-up also neutralizes our preservatives.

There is no better way to neutralize formaldehyde than to interact it with ammonia.

A large proportion of formaldehyde will be neutralized when it comes in contact with the nitrogenous waste in the body. Old standard solutions won’t be sufficient to preserve these cases.

Pre-injections and co-injections are very valuable tools to overcome the negative effects of drug therapy during embalming. Drug therapy decreases the permeability of the cell membrane. The passages of the membrane become clogged and calcified by the presence of antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs.

Metaflow dissolves blood clots and circulatory obstructions and also helps to open the pores of the cell membrane.

Rectifiant makes water more effective for embalming and decalcifies the cell membrane.

It neutralizes the negative effects of drugs on the embalming solution and helps distribute the preservative evenly to the deep tissues.

This powerful delivery system of Metaflow and Rectifiant will break into and enter the damaged, calcified cell membrane. This action is what is necessary to deliver the stronger solutions that are needed to preserve the difficult drug affected cases of today, crossing cell membranes to achieve a well-embalmed body.

Even experienced embalmers are changing their ways and procedures and intensifying their solutions to deal with all the difficulties.

Most embalming failures are generally due to underestimating or not correctly evaluating the condition of tissue. There was a time when eight Ounces of a 24 index arterial chemical

per gallon of solution would be enough preservative to treat the average or “normal” case. Since then, the average case has all but disappeared.

Older dilution tables begin with using minimums of eight ounces of arterial preservative per gallon solution. Today many recommend starting with 10 to 12 ounces of preservative per gallon and using higher indexes. This solution would be altered to make stronger as needed during the embalming depending on the case. It is not unusual for a remains to have two or three different types of tissue composition. This type of problem can be solved by treating each part of the body according to the condition of the tissue. One obvious sign to look for would be the fluid content or fluid retention in the tissue.

There are times when fluid content of tissue is higher than normal causing spongy tissue. The elderly and debilitated will lose muscle tissue, decreasing protein levels, and this spongy tissue almost looks normal in size but because the muscle is deteriorated, it is very difficult to firm and preserve.

Sometimes size and body weight remain semi-normal but tissue condition changes from muscle (protein) to spongy tissue with higher fluid content. Of course, edema is excess fluid in the tissue and some parts of a remains can have severe edema while others may look emaciated.

Patients experiencing organ breakdown will commonly have swollen arms or legs.

The circulation can be blocked in the right leg causing the leg to have extreme edema. A normal solution won’t be adequate to dry and preserve this leg. Perhaps you’ve had a family member hospitalized and during your visit you noticed an uneven swelling of tissue. An uncle of mine had muscle loss and, with the drug therapy he had undergone, his tissues became spongy, holding more fluid without appearing distended. If he napped for a while and laid the side of his head on the pillow, he’d wake up and have the pillow side swollen with fluid that gravitated and settled to that side of his head.

When death occurs with such cases, the embalmer is faced with remains that consist of multiple types of tissue moisture that will call for various treatment and solution strengths to adequately treat the various body tissue to

insure preservation. This type of condition may call for a stronger solution being injected to one side of the head where the fluid and moisture is collected.

Post embalming BLISTERING: This condition is becoming more and more common. It goes back to, once again, underestimating the fluid content or condition of tissue. When evaluating tissue, we must not only look at it but we need to feel it. You don’t need to have severe edema or distension of moisture in the tissue to cause blistering.

We can avoid post-embalming blisters but only if we are aware of the potential negative condition.

The use of stronger solutions to individual body parts that need it, and adding Edemaco, can wall-off moisture, and prevent leakage, odour and decomposition. With edematous cases, and even those cases where moisture doesn’t look severe but the tissues are moist and spongy, the fluid content will always settle or gravitate to the dependent body parts.

With casketed remains, blisters occur on sidewalls, buttocks, and the back of the legs or arms. If you suspected possible blistering during your final tissue evaluation, you most likely used protective plastic garments wherever needed. It is important to also place a drying preservative compound inside the plastic to absorb any dehydrating liquids and to absorb any liquids from blistering or lesions.

I prefer to use VP (Viscerock Plus) inside of the plastics. This product will not only absorb all liquids but it will also penetrate and embalm moist tissue. If no preservative absorbent is used to treat the liquids in the plastic garments, condensation and fluid build-up will begin to accelerate decomposition and the fluid will find its way outside of the plastic garments and cause leakage and odour problems.

Leakage and odour’s may also be labelled mental anguish that can trigger some unnecessary legal actions. We can prevent the majority of blistering but when it does occur, we need to treat it and stop it. In the end, all cases must be made leak-proof. Another condition that seems to be reappearing with a vengeance is tissue gas. This condition is caused by the Clostridium perfringens spore found in the gastrointestinal system. Weakened FuneralTimes | 57

immune systems allow these organisms to thrive. It is not uncommon to make a removal of a remains that died in the morning and the removal is made, let’s say, early afternoon and to find the abdomen to have a trace of green and distension.

A green abdomen would be one of the first signs of decomposition or even tissue gas.

A preventative measure would be to add 16 ounces of Dis-Spray to each gallon of strengthened arterial solution to deactivate the Clostridium spore.

Most tissue gas cases are discovered the day following the embalming. Hopefully you’ve realized it before the family arrives for the service. It’s not a good way to start your day when you check on the remains in chapel A that is scheduled for a 10 a.m. service and you discover the right eye is swollen up to a size larger than a golf ball. If so, you’d need to deactivate the tissue gas fast and remove the swelling by channelling, swabbing and treating the eye and surrounding tissue with Basic Dryene.

Tissue gas has an attraction to the brain. If tissue gas is present in the body, most likely it will spread to the brain and the first sign is generally swollen eyes. There is a foramen (or opening) where the optic artery and nerve pass through the cranium which allows the gas to pass through from the brain to the eyes causing them to swell and protrude. Sometimes a minor separation of connective tissue under the eyelids will be needed to access and swab the inner tissue with Basic Dryene or a phenolbased product.

Hypodermic treatment may be necessary to insure the spore is deactivated. If you channel the gas out but it returns, the bug is still alive and active so more hypoing will be needed. If you are familiar with what to do and have the courage to step up and do it, this procedure could save the day and keep the casket open.

If you’re not familiar with what to do, it may be a very unpleasant experience for the family and funeral home. If one can recognize the potential for gas developing, steps can and should be taken to prevent these embalming failures.

Further information about preventing and treating tissue gas can be found in the Dodge Magazine article, “Tissue Gas Alert.” (Fall 2010).

All cases should be evaluated after injecting 58 | FuneralTimes

each gallon. You will inject more, of course, but it’s a good idea to check after the first gallon and make adjustments as needed. We should begin to see some results besides colour change. Making a solution stronger or adding buffers and humectants can be done during these tissue checks.

Feeling or touching tissue is a must. Protein in the muscle tissue will begin to react to the preservative. Utilizing restricted drainage will insure fluid distribution to the deep tissues.

Normal case: What is normal anyway?

This type of case has all but disappeared.

Maybe we should say a case that appears to be normal. The tissue appears to be normal, or at least not edematous, emaciated, or spongy.

This type of case isn’t common but occasionally they will surface.

We won’t find out the effect of our preservatives until injecting at least one gallon of solution. After practicing some restrictive drainage during the injection we should begin to see true results with actual tissue changes and not just surface skin colour.

Again, delivering the preservative to the deep tissue is what insures a good embalming.

Bodies containing low protein levels and abnormal excess of nitrogenous waste or with spongy tissue will demand stronger solutions with co-injections that neutralize the negative effects on the calcified cell membrane and allow for even distribution of our preservative to the deep tissue.

There are no better pre injection and coinjection chemicals than Metaflow and Rectifiant. Let’s take a look at some guidelines for some common cases. Following is a dilution table for all Dodge Arterial chemicals. The index of the chemical would be adjusted by the embalmer as needed. Charts or solution suggestions are merely guidelines to help the embalmer decide dilutions after he or she makes the analysis of the case at hand.

Injecting one gallon and following up with an examination of tissue condition will dictate our changes in our dilution game plan. Changes in the strength of the solution can be made if necessary. This common adjustment may be the most important part of embalming the difficult cases of today. The days of pre-mixing fluid and not making necessary adjustments throughout the embalming are over.

Dilutions Table Case Type Standard Solution Superior Solution Normal Cases 10oz Arterial 1 Btl. Arterial

10oz Metaflow 1 Btl. Metaflow

10oz Rectifiant 1 Btl. Rectifiant Also Infants, emaciated Cases, or individuals with thin, delicate skin +water to make 1 gal + water to make 1 gal

No Water

Moderately Difficult 12oz Arterial 1 1/2 Btls. Arterial

12oz Metaflow 1 1/2 Btls. Metaflow Some chemotherapy 12oz Rectifiant 1 1/2 Btls. Rectifiant Autopsied, jaundiced some putrefaction. + water to make 1 gal + water to make 1 gal

2 Btls. Arterial 1 Btl. Restorative 2 1/2 Btls. Metaflow 2 1/2 Btls. Rectifiant No Water

Very Difficult 16oz Arterial 2 Btls. Arterial

16oz Metaflow 2 Btls. Metaflow Advanced Putrefaction 16oz Rectifiant 2 Btls Rectifiant Gas gangrene, skin, Slip Rectifiant heavy chemotherapy + water to make 1 gal No Water

3 Btls. Arterial 1 Btl. Restorative 2-3 Btls. Metaflow 2-3 Btls. + water to make 1 gal

The use of Metaflow and Rectifiant and utilizing restricted drainage are all parts of delivering our preservatives to the deep cell level and insuring trouble-free embalming.

Embalming success is not sold in a bottle of chemical. Success is in the hands of the embalmer who is able to use the chemical, make adjustments, and implicate techniques to insure complete distribution of the chemical being used. These basic embalming adjustments of changing dilutions, raising arteries, and using restricted drainage are more important today than ever.

Waterless 1 Btl. Arterial 1 Btl. Restorative 2-3 Btls Metaflow 2-3 Btls Rectifiant

If you would like to be added to the mailing list for the complementary Dodge Magazine which is printed quarterly or would like to discuss any of the products mentioned in this article, please contact: Shepherds Mortuary & Funeral Supplies, Unit 2A Royal Canal Business Park, Athlone Road, Co. Longford. Ph. 00353 43 33 49702/00353 87 2486668

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Tallon Mortuary Specialists School of Embalming

Qualify for membership of an internationally recognised embalming qualification (BIE) at your own pace The ‘Tallon Mortuary Specialists School of Embalming’ offers both Distance Learning and attended courses leading to membership of the British Institute of Embalmers The ‘Tallon Mortuary Specialists School of Embalming’ offer students and registered embalmers the highest standards of teaching and practice in a supportive environment, with full use of our training facility.

For further information and to discuss how this course might work for you contact:

Glyn Tallon - 14 Academy Street, Navan, Co. Meath Mobile: 086 826 8876 Web: www.tallonmortuaryspecialists.com Email: info@tallonmortuaryspecialists.com

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Fort Motors supply hearse to Waterford Pictured are Patrick and Alan Hennessy from Waterford collecting their new Ford Mondeo hearse from Fort Motors

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Robert Gabriel collects his Fort hearse Pictured is Robert Gabriel from Bandon collecting his new hearse from Fort Motors

FuneralTimes | 61

National Association of Funeral Directors Just another trade association?

think again.

We are listened to The largest funeral sector trade association, representing almost 3,700 funeral homes 80% of UK funeral directors. Our size gives us a respected voice at the highest levels of Government.

We are influential We campaign hard on issues that could affect the sector and are as focused on the needs of our 2,000 small, independent member firms as on those of our larger members.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re independent Independent of any single funding body or organisation, we work hard to balance the views and needs of all our members, irrespective of size.

We promote high standards The NAFD Code of practice is client-facing and a guarantee of quality of service.

We are the voice of the profession We bring the funeral service industry together to speak with one voice in the media, to Government and to the general public, your clients.

The Best benefits package in the industry, By far Including ÂŁ5million professional indemnity cover for each member company; a suite of free business helplines and collective buying power, saving our members thousands of pounds every year.

We have an eye on the future We keep members abreast of changes likely to affect their business, creating progressive partnerships which also open up opportunities for them.

We are the association for the funeral sector.

We care about our members, become one today.

If you would like to know more about how we can support your business or would like to join the NAFD, visit our website www.nafd.org.uk or call Su on

0121 711 1343 Ext 20 national association of funeral directors The voice of the profession 618 Warwick Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 1AA Tel: 0121 711 1343 email: info@nafd.org.uk

Visit our award winning website at

www.nafd.org

62 | FuneralTimes

NAFD News Strength through Association T

he NAFD has long campaigned actively on behalf of members within all four UK parliaments and assemblies. With a total of 3,900 members, from small, family owned businesses to large groups, the NAFDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role as the Voice of the Profession secures it a seat at the table to discuss issues of real importance to all funeral directors, regardless of size or company ownership.

This important work continues with the first meeting of the year of the Cross Party Group for Funerals and Bereavement in the Scottish Parliament.

The NAFD campaigns on behalf of members in the Scottish Parliament on issues such as death certification developments, retained ashes, funeral poverty and the Infant Cremation Commission, led by Lord Bonomy.

A meeting of the Funerals and Bereavement Group in the Northern Ireland Assembly was also held recently.

The meeting examined a range of topics including cremation reform, taxi operator licensing, social fund funeral payments, and coronersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; contracts.

Friends with benefits

United in Manchester

Another area in which the NAFD uses its size and strength to secure valuable benefits for members that they would not be able to secure either alone or with any other smaller group they may choose to join is in the area of Member Benefits.

In the last month alone the NAFD has secured a valuable affinity partnership with Volvo Cars UK. Recognising that funeral businesses need a vehicle that is easily adapted from day to night, serving them equally well at work and in their personal lives, Volvo has put together a package for NAFD members which allows them to purchase a brand new or used Volvo at preferential rates with a range of additional benefits also included.

As this edition of Funeral Times goes to press, the NAFDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Annual Conference draws ever closer.

To be held in Manchester this year, it is already proving to be a hot ticket with the number of attendees up again and a host of members attending for the first time.

Comedian Hugh Dennis will provide entertainment at the Annual Conference FuneralTimes | 63

Manchester will be the host of this years NAFD Annual Conference

Manchester has always been renowned for its warm welcome and vibrant atmosphere and, with a packed agenda, diverse range of speakers and fantastic social programme, delegates are in for a real treat.

Following the official opening of Conference

by The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of the City of Manchester, the programme includes topics such as the work in progress and the milestones ahead for changes in death certification, and a session by NAFD PR agency, Wordsmith Communication, on work to develop the profile and reputation of both the Association and the funeral sector.

The Annual General Meeting is set to be a lively session with a number of muchanticipated topics on the agenda for members to debate.

This year Conference is honoured to welcome The Chief Coroner of England and Wales, His Honour Judge Peter Thornton QC., who will talk about the new national framework of standards designed to deliver greater consistency and improved services for the bereaved by the Chief Coroner of England and Wales. Following the Chief Coroner, iGene will be introducing Digital Autopsies - the use of 3D technology to ascertain the cause of death - and Lupton Fawcett Denison Till will be sharing guidance on the use of social media in the workplace.

There is also set to be a fascinating session

by Glenn Mead of Chimp Management on 64 | FuneralTimes

the Chimp Paradox. Conference delegates have been warned to expect full immersion in a “mind-blowing experience” previously shared by the UK’s top Olympians in 2012!

The social programme is as packed as always. The traditional Friday night bash this year will be at Manchester Town Hall for an evening of great food, lively conversation and sharp, topical comedy with English comedian, actor, writer and impressionist Hugh Dennis - star of Mock the Week and Outnumbered. Whilst Saturday evening sees the return of the stunning NAFD Grand Banquet & Ball, hosted by NAFD President Simon Fisher and his Lady, Jane, with dinner and dancing until 1am. …and finally, the NAFD and Bereavement Advice Service leaflet ‘What to do when someone dies’ has proven such a useful guide that it is being reprinted, with additional information included on the disposal of all medicines – not just controlled drugs.

More than 18,000 leaflets have been distributed by NAFD members since the leaflet’s launch in 2013; providing practical, step-by-step advice for newly-bereaved people.

Copies of The leaflet are free of charge to NAFD members – another of many benefits of membership. If you would like to join the NAFD please contact Su Lewis on 0121 711 1343.

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New Mondeo from Fort Motors Tom Drohan from Dungarvin, Co. Waterford collecting his new Mondeo from Fort Motors

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FuneralTimes | 65

Are you thinking of selling your funeral business?

Dignity would like to talk to you if you are thinking of selling your business.

We are the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest provider of funeral related services. We have been quoted on the London Stock Exchange since 2004 with considerable success. We have cash immediately available without recourse to third parties.

The decision to sell your business is a huge one. Something you will only do once.

So why choose Dignity?

1. We are funeral people. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all we do. We are obsessive about the standard of service we offer the families we serve and over 98% of them say they would recommend us to family or friends.

2. You will deal directly with a main board director who has complete authority to agree all terms. In other words you will be dealing principal to principal.

The result is a quick and simple transaction.

3. We have acquired more family funeral businesses in the UK in the last ten years than anyone else. A significant number have been very well known businesses and we will be glad to give you references so that you can talk to people who have dealt with us. Hopefully they will tell you that we are straightforward to deal with, and keep our promises.

4. We have a national presence and are able to acquire businesses in nearly all parts of the UK. Please call Andrew Davies, Operations Director or Mike McCollum, Chief Executive.

Between us we have over 45 years of funeral experience and will be delighted to deal with you in the strictest confidence without any obligation.

Please contact in confidence: Mike McCollum, Chief Executive or Andrew Davies, Operations Director Dignity plc Plantsbrook House 94 The Parade Sutton Coldfield West Midlands B72 1PH Tel: 0121 354 1557 mike.mccollum@dignityuk.co.uk andrew.davies@dignityuk.co.uk 66 | FuneralTimes

Let us not be dead beats when it comes to eco-consciousness Desmond Stephenson, Managing Director of Ecocoffinsdirect spotted a gap in the market and now supplies willow coffins from his County Armagh base throughout Ireland and the UK Every Funeral Director will be aware of the importance of being able to supply a grieving family with the coffin that they require. We at Ecocoffinsdirect want to give you that option, supplying to you 100% biodegradable willow coffins. We see the importance of meeting families needs and the needs of the environment, we are to look after the land.

Our company is family owned, we are based near Newry yet in the County of Armagh, some 50 minutes from Belfast and 60 minutes from Dublin. We supply to Northern and Southern Ireland and mainland UK. Our business has been up and running since late December 2013 after seeing a gap and

need in the market for biodegradable, eco friendly coffins. Our willow coffins are not just environmentally-friendly, they are thoughtfully and individually made, making each one unique.

The simplicity of the material is reflected in the design to produce something elegant, robust and functional, yet natural in substance and appearance.

Our coffins have sturdy woven bases and strong rope handles. They come with name plate, natural cotton liners, pillow and shroud.

Weight tested up to 450lbs (32 stone).

Choose Ecocoffinsdirect, because we care.

Desmond Stephenson Managing Director

Supplying Eco FriEndly WilloW coFFinS at compEtitivE pricES

100% biodEgradablE A Unique, Personal Tribute to a Loved One...

Email for a Brochure or Call for further information

t: 0800 5429 299 m (r.o.i): +44 (0) 78 11398741 E: info@ecocoffinsdirect.com SituatEd nEar nEWry prompt dElivEry north and South irEland

ial, cremation or green sites Suitable for bur

www.ecocoffinsdirect.com FuneralTimes | 67

Introducing a new, modern and innovative plan from Golden Leaves

A more attractive proposition • • • • • • •

A unique plan providing high payouts on maturity High indexation applied annually to the plans No marketing levy to the F/D Totally transparent pricing Fastest cover of any FMP 50+ funeral plan Only 50+ plan to provide a rebate on any overpayment Better value for you and your clients To have these plans assigned to your funeral business or to enquire about offering these plans to your families contact us on 0800 85 44 48 or email: info@goldenleaves.com

Come and meet us at the FUNERAL TIMES TRADE SHOW, DUBLIN 1st & 2nd October 2013 Proud to be supporting

FPA

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FUNERAL PLANNING AUTHORITY REGISTERED

The FROM50 funeral plan, a better pre paid proposition for you and your families? We believe so...

F

uneral directors are acutely aware of the concept of Funeral Planning.

Why it is important for future business growth and provides great relief for bereaved families. So what can the new pre paid product FROM50 offer?

The FROM50 funeral plan is different to ANY other plan available to the general public as it provides a range of benefits, both to the Funeral Director and the plan holder that are not available from any other pre paid product. It is unique - groundbreaking - and this is why funeral directors should take the time to look at this product with a fresh pair of eyes and make their own informed decision.

The FROM50 funeral plan was devised by Golden Leaves to be the first of its kind!

It was designed to allow an individual who wanted a funeral plan to select one and pay for it like a life insurance policy - with zero deposit upfront and low monthly payments that will never increase during their lifetime - ever.

But unlike all other funeral insurances, it allows the purchaser to specify the funeral service required and to cement the relevant costs at today’s prices.

It is cheaper than other over50’s products on the marketplace too, with regards to the monthly premiums, which makes it better value for the same services and covers the purchaser on average 1.5 years faster than the competition. It sounds almost too good to be true doesn’t it!

And, add to that the fact that if you

pay more in to the plan than the plan pays out, your next of kin or estate will be eligible for a rebate of some, if not all, of the overpayment amount, and you will see what all the fuss is about.

For your Funeral Director business, unlike all insurances – you can actually offer this product to your families for a healthy commission that doesn’t impact on the final payout to you at need.

The plan is indexed to rise at 3.25% every year and the disbursement contribution of £1000, is precisely that, a contribution – so any risk with regards to third party expenses is mitigated.

It is cheaper than other 50+ plans, yet we believe the Funeral Director will receive a higher payout on maturity than is provided by anyone else.

If you would like to talk to us about offering this groundbreaking plan to the families and the communities you serve – call us on freephone 0800 85 44 48 and ask for details or enquire online at our website: www.from50funeralplans.com

FuneralTimes | 69

How Brian O’Driscoll’s Irish jersey could help a family in time of crisis

Kevin Bell

I

n the last edition of Funeral Times we heard from Gerard Clarke, Secretary of IAFD, about the good work carried out by The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. This organisation was founded by Collie and Eithne Bell, whose son died in a road accident in the US last year. A fundraiser in his home town of Newry, Co. Down, raised £42,000 on one night and the couple decided they would set up a trust with the money raised in memory of Kevin to help other families affected by similar circumstances and it would be called the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.

The fund presently stands at £80,000 and the latest fundraising idea is a raffle to win an Ireland rugby jersey signed by Brian O’Driscoll and all of the Six Nations winning team. This fabulous prize is a wonderful piece of sporting memorabilia marking both the teams’ victory and the end of BOD’s Ireland career. Contact The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust on the number or email address below to buy your tickets.

The Trust has subsequently helped bring another young man, Conor Brady, home from Las Vegas to Sligo. The Brady family decided to have family flowers only and donations in lieu of flowers would go to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. They have so far collected €7,600 euro.

70 | FuneralTimes

Conor is one of 21 Irish people whose familes The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust have assisted in alleviating the costs of returning loved ones who have died abroad.

This trust works within the funeral industry in Ireland and brings direct benefit to families in a time of crisis. All Irish funeral directors should know that the fund is available to families whose loved ones die abroad and have no travel insurance, as it could help cover repatriation costs back into the country.

Damian Ruddy - trustee with The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust Newry can be contacted on: (ROI) 0044 7851 424934 (NI) 07851 424934 or email: damianruddy@yahoo.co.uk

Dr Bill Webster The best things and the worst things

M

aybe I’m just an eternal optimist, but I do believe that most people are sincere and mean well. However, good-hearted or benevolent intent is no deterrent from the risk of saying something stupid.

We have all been guilty of offering clichés.

We do so because they make US feel better.

Such platitudes often say more about OUR discomfort than about helping. They try to make sense of or rationalize things like death, loss and grief, because in such situations, all of us would like to be able to “FIX” the situation or at least make it better.

Unfortunately, many comments can appear to minimize the loss if they suggest that the person should just accept the situation because somehow it “makes sense.” Sadly, it doesn’t make sense to THEM. Comments evoke responses, some positive, others negative or even angry. Yet, even when something is said that is less than helpful, more often than not, the grieving person decides not to respond. They just smile benignly, swallow hard and try not to let it bother them. But it does!

But in this information age, I am not sure that is good enough anymore. What follows is a list of the worst things to say to a grieving person, and my explanation of why I believe the comment, however well intended, is not helpful, or even hurtful.

The 10 Worst Things to Say to Someone in Grief: 1. “At least he lived a good long life, many people die young!”

It doesn’t matter how long a person lives, when they die, it is always too soon for the

person who cared about them and misses them. It is certainly difficult to lose someone who is young. But the 90 year old who has been married to their spouse for 60 years feels that the death is the worst thing that could happen, at the worst time, in the worst possible way. The worst kind of loss is always YOURS. Find a way to validate the difficulty of the loss, rather than trying to find ways to make it “meaningful”, or even “a good thing”. It doesn’t feel like that to the grieving person.

2. “She is in a better place!”

This cliché hurts. Of course we want to believe that our loved ones are in a better place, and that they are OK and happy. However, this statement is often of little comfort even when we have faith and believe in a life hereafter. Because we feel we are NOT in a better place. In fact, this is a rotten place to be and we don’t like it. We want our loved one back here with us, in THIS place. That’s how we feel, and an acknowledgement of that will be much more helpful.

3.“He brought this on himself.”

When someone dies, we often try to find a cause, because that helps us to rationalize the WHY of the situation. But even if someone did smoke, eat or push themselves into a life threatening situation, this comment is not going to help.

The grieving person will then find ways to blame themselves for not preventing what happened. Sometimes there is no meaning to tragedies, and even if there is, we don’t always know what the reason is, so there is no need to point it out.

FuneralTimes | 71

4. “There is a reason for everything.”

I’m not sure there is a reason for everything in life. But even if there is, the grieving person isn’t going to see that right now. The motive behind this comment is simple: we rationalize that IF there is a reason, then that would make the situation meaningful rather than arbitrary. But we can’t bring meaning to a situation that simply doesn’t make any sense to the person. By trying to apply logic and provide answers, you may actually be trying to meet your OWN needs at the expense of the grieving person.

Sometimes there is no meaning and no answers, and we must resist the temptation to try to provide what does not exist

5. “Aren’t you over it yet, it’s been three months already.”

Ah yes, the old “three months and you’ll be over it” syndrome. This is the biggest fallacy about grief, because there is no one neat orderly time frame. People mistakenly think that in 3 months (or whatever interval) you will get “back to normal.” But for the grieving person, everything is different. It is taking them time … often longer than people

who haven’t been through it seem to think … to discover and to feel comfortable with their new definition of normality. You will be more supportive if you encourage them to be patient, even when their time frame is not what you or others expect.

72 | FuneralTimes

6.“You’re young; you can still have another child.”

This is the cruelest things we can say to a

parent who has lost a child. The comment is intended to say, “It’s OK. Everything will work out fine.” But it is NOT OK to that Mum. Sometimes we have to let people go through the pain. Sure she may have other children. But how many others does she have to have before she forgets THIS one? Sometimes there is no meaning and no answers, and we must resist the temptation to try to provide what does not exist.

7. “She was such a good person; God wanted her to be with Him.” To the grieving heart the response to this comment is: “Yes she was a good person, but I wanted her here with ME.” I refuse to believe in a God who takes people away from us because He “needed another good person in heaven.” Are you kidding? Besides, the older I get, the more I might wonder why God hasn’t wanted ME with Him yet!! (although to some, the answer may be obvious!!!)

8. “I know how you feel.”

No you don’t! Nobody knows how anyone else feels, and when we try to suggest we do, that somehow minimizes the grieving person’s experience. It is much better to say, “I can’t begin to imagine how difficult this must be for you; TELL me how you feel.

9. “She did what she came here to do and it was her time to go.”

Hopefully there is a pattern emerging here in all these comments. This one is another attempt to try to bring meaning to a situation we don’t understand. And the problem with the statement is that even if this life was well lived and fulfilled; yes and even if “there is a time to be born and a time to die”; nonetheless, for the grieving person, it happened too soon.

10. “Be strong.”

To be honest, while there may be some merit in encouraging people to be strong, the difficulty is that they don’t FEEL that way. In fact, they feel weak when they are emotional, or not appearing to be doing as well as people think they should. So perhaps it would be more helpful and better under-

stood if we assured them that we know they ARE strong even though they may not feel it right now. Let them know however that you recognize that they are hurt and wounded; but you accept that and want them to know you are willing to walk with them as long as it takes to find themselves again.

The 10 Best Things to Say to Someone in Grief: 1. I am so sorry for your loss.

2. I wish I had the right words, just know I care.

3. I don’t know how you feel, but I am here. to help in any way I can.

4. You will be in my thoughts and prayers 5. My favourite memory of your loved one is…

6. I am always just a phone call away.

7. Tell me what you miss most about them.

8. We all need help at times like this; I am here for you.

9. I am usually up early or late, if you need anything.

10. Best of all: Say nothing, just be with the person and maybe offer to give a hug.

So, to accentuate the positive for well-intentioned caregivers: • Be supportive, but don’t try to fix it. Recognize that the person has had loss, and try to understand how that has changed their world.

• Acknowledge and validate the person’s feelings. Never say, “You mustn’t feel …” but rather try to find out HOW they are feeling and why.

• Rather than telling someone what to do, ask what they want or need to do, and offer to do it WITH them. This will empower them to do things for themselves, albeit with your help.

• Continue to be supportive throughout the process, recognizing that is not a period of time like 3 months, but being there in the difficult moments, significant days like birthdays, anniversaries and such, especially when others have faded from the scene, that will make all the difference.

But that usually takes a while.

Follow Dr Bill’s Daily Inspirational Though on Twitter @ drbillwebster FuneralTimes | 73

Wilcox Limousines shortlisted for Family Business of the Year Award Established in 1948, the third generation run business are celebrating after being nominated for the award, organised by Family Business United, the UK’s leading magazine and resource centre for UK Family Businesses.

The firm designs and builds new Hearses, Limousines and Funeral Vehicles including holding the exclusive prestigious contract with Jaguar Cars to convert their saloons into new vehicles. The company sells its funeral vehicles to a global market after spending 65 years building its unrivalled reputation for high quality service and stunning vehicles.

“We’re delighted to have been nominated for the Family Business of the Year Award 2014. This award means so much to my family and every member of the team that have put so much hard work into the continued growth of Wilcox Limousines over the past 65 years. It’s a true honour, as family values, honesty and not being the biggest but the best are the heart of the business” said Paul Wilcox, CEO of Wilcox Limousines.

Judged by a panel of professional experts and family business entrepreneurs

74 | FuneralTimes

including, Alexander Scott - chairman of SanAire, Paul Kelly - managing director of Kellys Bronze Turkeys and Claire Ayling - managing director of Harrison Catering Services Limited who will come together to consider the submissions and make their deliberations to determine the winner.

The awards will be announced in June during an informal champagne and canapé reception held in central London.

There is also a public vote, which Wilcox Limousines has been entered into. Fans can vote on (http://www.familybusinessunited. com/resources/family-business-of-the-yearregions/london-and-south-east/) For more information, testimonials and videos on how the vehicles are hand crafted in Great Britain please visit www. limousines.co.uk

Celtic Coffins Ltd.

28 The Granary, Harbour Street, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Phone: +353 (0)90 642 5022 Web: www.celticcoffins.ie Email: celticcoffins@gmail.com We provide a long-term, high quality service at very competitive prices

Peter Mob: 087 960 7521 David Mob: 087 665 2905 Phone: +353 (0)90 642 5022 Jackie Carron (Donegal Distributor) Mob: 087 973 4000 / Tel: +353 (0)74 973 4000

We can learn from those new to the business Gus Nichols comments on the funeral industry I guess you have to call me ‘institutionalised’. I come from a family with 200 years involvement in funeral service. I earned pocket money from the business when I was in school. I have been at Nichols since 1996, following the death of my father.

I did work in other places. I spent a summer working for AIB in London. I was a bartender in the US for a summer in 1992. I even treaded the boards in a musical ‘South Pacific’, when I was in Hong Kong.

I have always been interested in the reaction and views of others from outside the funeral sector. In particular, I value the skills and expertise that a more mature entrant brings to our business. We have been fortunate that David Lowther joined us some years ago, having had his own travel agency for many years in Dublin. We have been also fortunate that more recently, Gerry Cullen joined the company, having spent many years working in the multi-national sector, and running his company Orchard Print. I asked Gerry to write a piece for this column with all of this in mind.

Reflections of a mature/late entrant to the funeral business

By Gerry Cullen

P

rior to entering the funeral business at the end of 2012, I had two significant other careers, one as a manager of a large multinational company operating in Ireland and the other as an owner/ manager of a medium sized Print Company.

It was as a result of my printing business that I first came across Fanagans Funeral Directors and I was their print supplier for over twenty years. As Fanagans also controlled Kirwans, Nichols and Carnegie

76 | FuneralTimes

Funeral Directors, they had a significant print requirement.

As such, this gave me an insight as to what actually happens in the Funeral Business, or so I thought, but in reality it only served to lull me into a false sense of security.

The public perception of what actually happens in the funeral business is garnished from their own experience in attending funerals or occasionally dealing with a Funeral Director. In reality, all they see is a

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Gerry Cullen hearse and limousine arriving at a church and the coffin entering and exiting under the supervision of a number of men.

I started in Fanagans on a Saturday which meant I was a member of a four man team who, in effect, supervised everything that happened over that weekend, under the guidance of Gus Nichols, a director.

On that first day I was hit by such words as Clearance, Cremation Papers, Forms B and C, Coroner, Death Notification Forms, Grave numbers, Last Burials, Letters of Authority etc., all which were foreign to me. I did however realise that all these words were of huge importance, judging from the degree of attention given to them from my colleagues.

As a weekly visitor to Fanagans office over the years, I thought1000 I had seen titested all, but times that day I realised that was a level A similar foil hthere as already been applied of in activity at the rear of of which the the U.S sbuilding ince many years I was completely unaware i.e. embalming, 11. September 2001 in Asingle sia 2004 biggest and I think that this Tsunami was the Katrina 2005 impression from myHurricane first day and will live Eathquake Haiti 2010 with me for a long time.

it is also produced in is Europe.

Working in the Now funeral business not a job in the normal understanding of the word We already offer it at a price starting from ‘job’. It is more a €vocation a desire 21,-­‐ /meter, wich or means instead oto f a help zinc people who have just lost180,-­‐ a loved and coffin of about € will cone ost you only really do not know where to gocor what to per Pharopack offin . do next, bar calling a Funeral Director and Consumables are not necessary. seeking all the help and guidance possible. * If you buy a roll of 73 m.

The real pleasure from working in the funeral business comes from the fact that no two funerals are the same. Each family is unique and invariably they are dealing with the business of arranging a funeral for the very first time in their lives.

The family rely on you completely for arranging everything - from the main items such as booking a church and a cemetery or crematorium, to ensuring that there will be a single red rose at the graveside for placing on the coffin and all things in between.

The single greatest difference between the commercial activity that happens every day in the normal ‘world’ where people expect suppliers to deliver whatever product or service they proffer, and the funeral business, is the huge level of thanks and appreciation shown by grieving families to us as funeral directors. I now consider it a privilege to be asked to arrange their loved ones funeral.

Gerry has quickly become an essential part of the team at the company. I find it reassuring that he found what we do be a privilege – a very similar experience to my own.

I would like to thank Gerry for sharing his thoughts with us.

Gus Nichols Absolute The NEW, cost sealing way of effective & hygienic for the providing storage hygienic storage Deceased ! of the deceased.

Never a zzinc inc ccoffin! offin !

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For further information contact: Stephen Collier + 353 (0)1 281 4114

World novelty! FuneralTimes

pharopack-­‐bio

| 77

New hearse from Duffy Coachbodies Dundalk Ltd. Colin Bulman, Egans Funeral Directors, Youghal is pictured taking delivery of a Duffy 5 Door Hearse based on the latest Mercedes “E” Class W212 series factory chassis from Gerard Duffy, Duffy Coachbodies Dundalk Ltd. Duffy Coachbodies would like to wish Colin every success with his new Hearse

Manufacturers to the Funeral Trade Soft Goods

Lighting & Candles

Mountings

Urns

Thanatopraxy

Funeral Supplies Donegal Ltd. Leghowney Donegal Town Co. Donegal Ireland Tel: +353 (0)74 9723715 Fax: +353 (0)74 9723742 Mobile: +353 (0)87 2376169 www.funeralsupplies.ie email: funeralsupplies@eircom.net

Funeral Supplies Donegal Ltd

78 | FuneralTimes

We manufacture and supply: Coffin and Casket Linings, Side Sheets, Shrouds, Coffin Pads, Casket Pads, Lid Liners, Mountings.

Made to order Casket Half Sets and Coffin Half Lid Sets

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Galoshes

Suits

Raincoat

Leather Gloves

Collapsible sign

Printed Umbrellas

Windproof

Canes

Printed Armbands

Headwear

Reserved Seating

Knitwear

Contact: 087 675 7532

Ladies Range NOW AVAILABLE Dressing the Funeral Directors of Ireland Associate member of the IAFD

New Irish-owned business Expert quality of service offered Off-the-rail suits and/or bespoke tailoring Appropriate fabrics, colours and styles All records kept to enable ease of reordering and continuity of fabric and suit choice Comprehensive list of accessories Printing service

Please visit our website for full service, products and accessories available www.thedirectorscut.ie

FuneralTimes | 79

Wilcox delivers a Bakers Dozen S

tephen Box, of Box Brothers Limited is seen here taking delivery of a Vauxhall Vectra Statesman Hearse from Ian Roe of Wilcox Limousines. This vehicle takes the total Vauxhall Vectra Fleet to 13 (5 hearses and 8 limousines).

Trevor Box said of Wilcox and Box Brothers unique relationship, “Box Brothers have been purchasing funeral vehicles from Wilcox Limousines ever since I rang founder Bill Wilcox back in 1956. Our relationship has now spanned nearly 60 years and over 200 vehicles!”

Box Bros Ltd. was established in Blackpool in 1915 and is now run by fourth generation family members.

Their main branch is located at 13/15 Hawes Side Lane. Stephen’s father, Trevor, joined the company in 1947. Stephen is the fourth generation of the family and joined in

1984. Together they have helped to continue the reputation of running one of the premier funeral businesses in the Blackpool area.

Their second branch is located at Poulton le Fylde.

In addition to being Funeral Director’s, Box Bros Ltd. are also very busy Carriage Masters covering areas within, and far and beyond Blackpool.

Trevor and Stephen were delighted to receive the vehicle which was one of the last Vauxhall Vectra Statesman to be built.

Wilcox Limousines would like to thank Box Bros Ltd. for their continued business.

Company Branded

be safe be noticed Hall Street, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan 042 9667309 : info@funeraldirectorsolutions.ie

NEW Funeral Traffic Management Products

Warning Sign - €80 each Company Branded

Hi Viz Vest - €15 each Branded

2 Sided Sign - €100 each Company Branded

More Info & Package Discounts on www.funeraldirectorsolutions.ie e.g. 15 piece Combo package €499 or for enquiries Call 042 9667309 Prices Ex VAT & Delivery

80 | FuneralTimes

Lamp Cone - €20 Standard €40 Branded High Intensity €80

Working with the removal specialists Frank Keogh & Sons Funeral Repatriation Services, a company based in Co. Wicklow, have built a reputation as specialists in the field of removals carrying out work for a large number of funeral directors.

F

rank says, “We are a small company specialising in removals throughout Ireland, the U.K. and beyond. The business consists of myself, my two sons and two other men. We have two vehicles registered as hearses, a Mercedes and a B.M.W., both fully decked with rollers and privacy glass and also a van with a roller deck for larger shipping units”.

Frank Keogh & Sons Repatriation Services understand their role in the removals business and always work to benefit the funeral director. “We do quite a lot of repatriations from the U.K. to all parts of Ireland and we use a sealed zinc casket for this purpose - the advantage of this being that the funeral director here can then procure the sale of a coffin or casket,

whereas if a remains is air lifted, in most cases, a coffin is used for transit.”

Frank has over 30 years experience in the funeral business at all levels, having worked for Fanagans in Dublin and Carnegies, Monkstown and Dunlaoghaire and still carries out work for both companies.

“Our prices are very competitive and we will do our best to facilitate anyone who requires our services. We have a regular pattern whereby remains can be collected from the south east of England and returned to Ireland within 23 hours. This allows funeral directors and families to make arrangements in good time”.

Contact: Frank Keogh & Sons Funeral Repatriation Services, Woodbrook, Bray, Co.Wicklow. Ph. 086 8440208.

Wreath Manufacture & Wholesale At Tom Sharkey & Sons Ltd.

Barrack Street, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon.

All wreaths are created by fully qualified florists, reflecting contemporary design in floral arrangements All at very competitive prices Special requests catered for at shortest notice

n Free next day delivery on orders over €100

We have an extensive stock ready for delivery or collection including: • Circles of Life • Posies • Sprays • Hearts • Crosses • Cushions • Pillows • Gates of Heaven • Footballs and Jerseys • Posies with Candles • Lettering Wreaths Discounts apply on scale of your orders

n Call or email now to receive our new brochure

Telephone: +00353 (0)94 986 0658 or email: sales@allseasonsflorists.ie FuneralTimes | 81

Winter storms can't fell Firs

T

ony and Dee Richards of Pendle Funeral Services in Cornwall, taking delivery of the Ford Cardinal Mk 11 Hearse, with their son Jamie who has recently joined the family business.

Pendle Funeral Services is a well-established independent family business owned and run

by Tony and Dee Richards, serving Helston, the Lizard Peninsula and surrounding areas in Cornwall. The extreme weather conditions in February this year had a significant impact upon the Firs Funeral Home, as windy conditions lead to 15 mature fir trees falling like dominoes in a single night.

“After securing everyone’s safety by closing the main road, the first thought was to move the recently purchased Ford Cardinal Mk 11 Hearse which was located perilously in the garages below the falling trees. Fortunately, nobody was injured and no property was damaged, although the incident caused quite a stir in local and social media. We were overwhelmed by the local community’s response and their contribution to the clean up operation. We’re now debating a new name for “The Firs”; perhaps “The Tree Stumps” would be appropriate for the time being!”

Pendle’s have built a strong and growing reputation for their caring and dignified service

82 | FuneralTimes

to families for over 20 years. Over time, they

have acquired an elegant and high-quality fleet of vehicles from Coleman Milne: Tony and his team have always been delighted with the service and the quality of vehicles and they will be looking to add to their fleet in the coming months.

Tony and Dee’s son, Jamie, joins Pendle’s after 5 years working in retail management following a degree obtained from the University of the West of England in Bristol.

He is looking forward to working and learning alongside the experienced team at Pendle’s.

New delivery from Duffy Coachbodies Dundalk Ltd. Our picture shows Rosemary Rogers and her nephew Oisin Rogers from McGeoughs Funeral Directors, Dundalk taking delivery of a new Duffy 5 Door Hearse based on the latest facelift Mercedes “E” Class along with a new “E” Class first call hearse from Gerard Duffy of Duffy Coachbodies Dundalk Ltd. Duffy Coachbodies would like to thank Rosemary for her continued support and wish her every success with her new vehicles

y Mc Dermott r r e G Wreath Manufacturer

Circular Road, Roscommon Tel: 090 6629737 Tel: 090 6625763 Mob: 086 2544126 Mob: 086 8205215 FuneralTimes | 83

Mairi Russell Funeral Services opts for Wilcox Vauxhall fleet M

airi Russell Funeral Services have recently taken delivery of a Vauxhall Vectra Hearse and Limousine supplied by Wilcox Limousines.

The family business has seen continued growth since opening 9 years ago. They now have a modern funeral home based in Alness. In 2011 they purchased two further funeral homes in Dornoch (established 1987) and Muir of Ord (established 1947).

Between the three premises they are able to offer their services throughout the Rossshire area in the Scottish Highlands.

A professional Independent Family Business they are members of SAIF and NAFD. The Vauxhall Vectra fleet will run alongside

their Vauxhall Omega Fleet to help cover the workload the three funeral homes present.

Wilcox Limousines would like to thank Mairi and John for their continued business and wish them every success with their new fleet.

Omega Services

Trike & Hearse or Tractor & Hearse hire for the funeral trade throughout Ireland Contact Cathie or Robert T: 07704 513775 / 07889 037999 or 028 4483 1898 omegaservices_120@hotmail.co.uk

New Black Tractor with Hearse NOW AVAILABLE

CONTACT: PAUL MOLLOY MOB: 087 2590843

2010 Ford mondeo 2.3 auto lx 161ps 3dr hearse • Stunning Ford Mondeo Hearse • Bryne Built • 2.3 Petrol • Black • Only 7,861 miles/12,651 km from new • 1 owner • 3 Door • Please call for details £Price on Application

Fort Motors Ltd., Airton Road,Tallaght, Dublin 24 Tel: 01 400 00 44 or Email: info@tallaghtford.ie

www.wdcarriages.com

WD Carriages offer a professional service, hiring horse drawn carriages for all occasions

T: 028 7136 1052 / M: 07891 347356 / M: 07706 016359 E: wdcarriages@hotmail.co.uk FuneralTimes | 85

Classifieds...

Classifieds... email your advert to: sales@funeraltimes.com

jb1

Pair of Mercedes Limousines (6 door) • Mercedes Hearse Available Experienced Drivers • Provincewide service available Northern Transfers is our new removal service available to Funeral Directors across N.I. and R.O.I. For enquiries please conact: James on Mob: 077 3428 3181/Tel: 028 3884 9151 Web: www.jamesbartonfuneralservices.co.uk • Email: jamesbarton75@gmail.com

PRE-OWNED VEHICLES FOR SALE FROM

BYRNE COACHBUILDERS • 2012 Ford Mondeo Zetec 2.0lt, Auto, diesel, 39k, arriving shortly • 2010 Ford Mondeo Zetec 2.0lt, Auto, diesel, 72k, newly built and ready for work • 2010 Ford Mondeo Zetec 2.3lt, Auto, Petrol, 10k, arriving shortly • 2005 Ford Mondeo Exec. 2.0lt, Auto, Diesel, arriving shortly • 2003 Ford Mondeo Exec. 2.0lt, Auto, Diesel, 37k, arriving shortly • Motorbike Hearse For Sale - Yamaha Vmax

Visit us on our website @ www.byrnecoachbuilders.ie for all new vehicles and pre-owned Hearses Tel. 042 93 34631 86 | FuneralTimes

Classifieds...

Classifieds... email your advert to: sales@funeraltimes.com 2007 Vauxhall Vectra Hearse

• Only 23,000 miles • Automatic • 2200cc Petrol • Xenon headlights • Full black leather interior • 2 owners from new • Excellent condition • MOT for 12 months • Taxed for 6 months

Price: £16,500

Contact David Hay Tel: NI: 07772 843701 or davidhay49@hotmail.co.uk

1998 Vauxhall omega 2.5 5-door hearse

2007 Vauxhall Vectra SRi Estate • 2.2 Petrol Auto • 54,000 miles • Satellite Navigation • Bluetooth Telephone • TAX 31/10/2014 • MOT 14/8/2014 • Full Service History • Excellent Condition

Price £2,995 Tel: NI: 07711 428533

for sale 2001 Mercedes Hearse • Two door with bearer seats • Coleman Milne built E240 • Petrol • 19,700 miles • Full service history with Mercedes Belfast • Available June 2014

• 60,000 miles • Service History • Great Condition • Taxed to 1/6/14 • MOT to 5/11/14 • Belfast based Price £3,950 ono Telephone: NI (028) 9045 1933

2001 Mercedes Limousine • Six door E240 • Petrol • Coleman Milne built • 12,000 miles • Full service history with Mercedes Belfast • Available June 2014

Price for both £22,000 dOMINICk HEALY & SONS LTD. 252- 254 Falls Road Belfast Tel : 028 9032 6848 ask for Tom or Sean Healy FuneralTimes | 87

Classifieds...

Classifieds... email your advert to: sales@funeraltimes.com 2002 Vauxhall omega statesman hearse

• Black • 75,000 miles • 2.6 litre engine • One owner from new • MOT until Sept. 2014 • Double deck • Air con • Bearer seats • Available in June

Price On Application

Contact: W.J. O’Brien & Son, Eglinton Tel: 028 7181 0312

1997 Mercedes E200 petrol

• Petrol • Automatic • Byrne Built • Well maintained • In everyday use • Recently NCT’d • Limerick area

Price On Application

Contact: Tel: 086 4016569

Frank Keogh & Sons Funeral Repatriation Services

Telephone:

2004 Vauxhall Omega hearse • Taxed and tested • Full service history • 40,000 miles (Quinn built) 1997 Vauxhall Omega Limousine • Taxed and tested • Service history • Very low mileage • 32,000 (Wilcox built) £13,995 for both

ROI - 086 8440208 NI - 00353 86 8440208

Telephone: 028 3026 6785 07753 615914

Woodbrook, Bray Co.Wicklow

88 | FuneralTimes

Classifieds...

Classifieds... email your advert to: sales@funeraltimes.com 1998 Mercedes E class hearse

• Masons Black • Built by Coleman Milne • MOT’d till March 2015 • Very good condition inside and out • Double/Flat Deck with bearers seats and cover boards • Some service history • Well maintained vehicle • Trade in welcome

Price: £4,995 ono

For more details Tel: Wrays Funeral Directors Tel: 07892 421041

DAVID McKEON HEARSE HIRE Sunnagh Beg, Cloone, Co. Leitrim

24 HR SERVICE Long or short term hire Nationwide CONTACT ROI Mobile: 087-8045115 / 087-2981956 / 071-9636000

for sale - 2010 D reg FORD Galaxy REMOVAL CAR/hearse

• 2010 Reg • 2 ltr Diesel Auto • New deck fitted with third seat folding away leaving room for 2 stretchers Contact: Wards Funeral Home, Co. Monaghan Tel. 042 9741075 Or 086 2726521

Don O’Regan PEAI Professional Embalming Services

24 Hour Embalming Service Mallow, Co. Cork Mobile: 087 9942435 Email: dorfunerals@hotmail.com FuneralTimes | 89

Classifieds...

Classifieds... email your advert to: sales@funeraltimes.com for sale 2007 Mercedes Hearse

• E200 Kompressor • Byrne Built • 52,088 Kilometres • 3 Door • Twin Deck

for sale 1999 mercedes hearse

• E240 Petrol • 21,570 Miles • Blaugram Built • 3 Door

Contact: Duffy Coachbodies Dundalk Ltd. Tel: 00353 (0)42 933412

Matthew L. Jones

2001 Vauxhall omega 6 door limousine

Funeral Services

• South Wales based • 24 Hour removal & repatriation service • Long & short distance throughout UK & Ireland • Inclusive of airports & ferry ports • B.I.E qualified embalming service • Also Hearse & Limousine hire available Tel: 07815 866652/01267 236787 (24hrs) email: info@mljfs.co.uk www.matthewljonesfuneralservices.co.uk 90 | FuneralTimes

• Masons Black with gold coachline • 38,000 miles from new with FSH • 2 owners from new • Just serviced • 1 years MOT • Taxed to July 2014 • Very good condition

Price: £1,795 ono

Contact: Wrays Funeral Directors Tel: 07892 421041

Classifieds...

Classifieds... email your advert to: sales@funeraltimes.com CUNNINGHAM MEMORIALS

Formerly of Ormeau Road, Belfast

All types of Quality Headstones, Surrounds, Plaques, Vases and Stone Chippings.

Renovations and Additional Inscriptions.

A Specialty in any Cemetery.

Free Estimates All Work Guaranteed

Tel/Fax: 028 9070 4404

PATRICK RYAN & DAUGHTER FUNERAL DIRECTORS

church pews for sale Solid, seasoned mahogany, excellent condition, very comfortable, varying lengths, typically 2.6m, any quantity.

FINAL FEW REMAINING Contact Ernest McKeown: 028 2564 2673 2006 Mercedes Limousine 220 CDI

SPECIALISING IN REPATRIATION TO ALL PARTS OF IRELAND

TEL: 0208 567 1664 FAX: 0208 566 4795 6 South Ealing Road, London W5 4QA Email: patrick.ryan@virgin.net Website: PATRICK-RYAN.CO.UK COVERING LONDON AND THE HOME COUNTIES

• 55,000 miles • 6 door • Black Artico leather interior • Diesel • Duffy built Price: £25,000 stg/€30,000 ono Dublin based Tel: 003531 8550555 FuneralTimes | 91

THE JAGUAR, BEAUTIFUL FROM EVERY ANGLE

www.limousines.co.uk enquiries@wilcoxlims.co.uk +441753 480 600