Private Cremation is a new service aimed at offering affordable, respectable and meaningful funerals. We spoke to its director Mickey Doyle.
What led you to establishing Private Cremation?
It was combination of things; both in my private and business life. I experienced the loss of friends and family and while, initially successful, my handmade wreath business didn’t survive consecutive lockdowns. But out of failure came new ideas. During this period, I received numerous orders from people who couldn’t make funerals due to Covid restrictions. I started to think more about the process of funerals and how the traditional format is shifting towards a more open model we are experiencing and embracing today, be this in the form of humanist ceremonies or personalised coffins being decorated with colour and messages of love during a wake for example. From there Private Cremation was created, a direct cremation specialist focused on a modern approach to funerals.
image by Jamie Tanner“The traditional format is shifting towards a more open model we are experiencing and embracing today”
How has our concept of a modern burial evolved in recent times?
With the unprecedented cost of living crisis majorly influencing our decisions today, you want to ensure people and family are receiving the dignity they deserve, we help them navigate away from these stressful financial decisions with an affordable alternative. The average Irish funeral already costs €6,000-€7,000 and prices are set to rise. Our cost is less than one third of this price.
Cremation was a modern burial in Ireland 20 years ago and for some it can still be today. However, we are moving beyond that sphere and away from a church setting, bringing it back to nature. This can take the form of scattering ashes at sea or using a biodegradable urn for burial. Private Cremation offers a simple and straightforward alternative to what people may commonly expect or are possibly used to. We are committed to offering an affordable, low-cost, service which helps people to celebrate the end-of life with a freedom of choice, enabling them to decide how they wish to honour themselves or a loved one.
Is this aimed at someone intending to organise their own affairs in advance of death?
Absolutely, at the moment this can be done by a person wishing to inform their family or next of kin of their wishes. This can begin even with the process of selecting music and images for the ceremony in advance. It always comes down to celebrating loved ones in a way that best reflects their unique lives.
Our Pre-Paid Plan will be launching in October of this year. This will allow a person to have all their own affairs in place for their end-of-life celebration or passing, giving peace of mind in the knowledge that everything is taken care and organised in the way they have wished. This process brings the discretion back to the individual. These pre-arrangements can dramatically ease the administrative stress suffered by families dealing with bereavements, which often are unexpected.
What personal touches do you intend to bring with your service?
At Private Cremation, our caring and compassionate team are committed to offering an affordable direct transfer service, designed to allow you to focus on arranging the perfect final farewell. Our mission is to provide a simple, straightforward and dignified funeral service that is accessible and flexible to all our clients. We pride ourselves on offering the best value with no hidden costs and no compromise on quality or dignity. We want to be completely transparent about our prices and everything included in our service. Focusing on the things that matter without the unnecessary extras.
What lessons have you learned about grief and how to cope with it?
Grief is deeply individual and highly personal. It arrives in many forms and comes in waves over time. It is important to remember to be gentle on yourself.
Sadly, grief never completely ends, but your understanding of it evolves over time. And knowing that the intense pain won’t last forever can help. I also find that I cope by helping others to cope. In my experience , I’ve also found music can be an incredible healer when trying to process the loss of a loved one. It is also important to remember that in death we should cherish life.
How does Private Cremation differ from traditional funeral homes?
Private Cremation has a different business model to traditional funeral homes. We specialise in direct cremation which is also known as basic or simple cremation and allow families to make arrangements online or over the phone. We don’t try to sell you expensive add-ons, which enables us to pass these savings directly to you.
Both our bespoke and private services take place without a viewing or embalming and allows families to create a personal memorial service either during the crematorium service or after the cremation occurs. Importantly, the flexibility it affords families to hold a highly personalised farewell to celebrate the unique life of their loved one if they so wish.
