Frequently Asked Questions
If a loved one has passed away at home, the first thing you need to do is ring their GP, or the doctor who has been looking after them over the last number of weeks. The doctor must come and see the deceased and certify them dead before we can do anything. Once the doctor has been to certify, you can then ring us and we will come out to your home and collect the deceased and take them back into our funeral home. It is important to communicate with other family members to let them know that their loved one has passed on, as they might like to see the deceased before he/she is taken from the home. When arriving at your home, we will sit down with you first inside and discuss some details relating to the deceased. We always like to get an insight into the deceased’s life, their personality and their story, before commencing anything else.
We will then take your loved one back to our funeral home and prepare them for viewing. Funeral arrangements and the selection of a coffin can be made in the comfort of your own home, or in our funeral home if you wish.
If your loved one has passed away in the hospital, a doctor in the hospital will see your loved one to confirm death. Once certified, your loved one will then be taken to the morgue in the hospital. At this point, you can phone us and let us know.
Over this phone call, we will arrange a time a couple of hours later, for you to come into the funeral home and make the funeral arrangements. Alternatively, we can call out to your house and make the funeral arrangements from there. In the meantime, we will be in contact with the mortuary staff to ascertain if a post mortem will be required on the body. If not, we will proceed to the mortuary as soon as possible and bring your loved one back to our funeral home.
If your loved one has passed away in the hospice or a nursing home, a doctor there will have to come and see your loved one and certify them dead. Once certified, you can ring us and we will come and collect your loved one and bring them back to our funeral home. Over this phone call, we will arrange a time a couple of hours later, for you to come into the funeral home and make funeral arrangements and select a coffin. Alternatively, we can call out to your house and make the funeral arrangements from there.
It could be an outfit that they wore to a wedding a few years ago, or their everyday clothes that they always wore. You should choose an outfit that you think, the deceased would have chosen for themselves, an outfit that they would have loved to have worn. If you wish, you can bring in shoes, socks and undergarments. You can bring in other items that the deceased used to wear such as glasses, jewellery and broaches, we can take these items off of the deceased and give them back to you, before the coffin is closed, if requested.
Yes, a celebration of life service is a very popular service which we can accommodate for here in our funeral home.
Bring in the outfit you wish for your loved one to be laid out in. Have a picture chosen that you would like to be used for the RIP.ie. If you have a hard copy of the picture we can scan it here in the funeral home, alternatively you can send it to us via WhatsApp or Gmail, whatever is most convenient for you.
When you come in to make arrangements, we will go through your wishes as to how you would like the funeral to be carried out. We will arrange when and where the reposing will take place. This can be either in our funeral home, in another funeral home adjoined to a church or it can take place in a house.
We will then discuss whether or not you would like a funeral mass to take place , or if you would like a celebration of life service. This can take place in our funeral home or in a family home. We will ring the priest, cemetery staff and liaise with all other relevant people.
We will then decide on whether or not it will be a burial or cremation service and book in respect to the choice.
We will go through music and guide you in choosing singers for the church. We will compose the RIP.ie with you.
One of the last things we will do is chose a coffin. We have a wide selection of different coffins and caskets in our coffin show room, in our funeral home. We also have a range of urns ranging from brass urns, keepsake urns, tea-light urns and scatter tubes.
No, unfortunately in Galway City, you are unable to buy a grave until somebody has passed away. The New Cemetery in Bohermore is now full, meaning that you are unable to buy a new grave there. You can buy a single plot grave in Rahoon cemetery which can cater for two coffins. In Rinville Cemetery, Oranmore, you have the choice of buying a single grave, which can cater for three coffins, or a double grave, which can cater for six coffins.
In The New Cemetery Bohermore, Rahoon Cemetery and Rinville Cemetery, you can however buy an urn plot.
Yes, if a post mortem is required, you should expect a delay of about 24-48 hours with the funeral arrangements. The majority of deaths with not require a post mortem because the cause of death can be certified by the deceased’s G.P. or the doctor who has been looking after the deceased in the months prior to their death.
Yes, of course you can. Please look at our ‘Pre Planning A Funeral’ section. Click here to find out more.
Yes, you are not alone and there are so many wonderful organisations that want to support and help, you and your family at this difficult time. The Galway Grief Sherpa network was founded in 2024 and are compromised of community bereavement support groups, working together to provide and promote bereavement support and awareness, of their services, that are available in Galway City and County.
If you click into their website you will see the categorised organisations that are available to you.