The demand could be there for a third crematorium in Munster to be located near Tipperary.
There are currently two crematoriums in the province – one in Ringaskiddy, County Cork and one in Shannon, County Clare.
As Tipperary is bordered by eight counties, it could present an ideal location for a third facility.
While price may be a factor in cities with burial plots being more expensive, undertaker Vincent McCarthy in Fethard believes there’s a general trend towards cremations.
He told Tipp FM that demand is increasing.
“There probably will, in time, be either, they’ll need to expand the ones that are there or there will be a call for a third one.
“Like there are, I’d say people aren’t aware, but there are actually seven crematoriums in the country, we’re nearly as close to Dublin as we are to Cork, in Tipperary.
“I can see, maybe in the next ten or 15 years, there will be one closer to Tipperary.
He added that things have changed since he first started out as an undertaker:
“I remember when I started in the business, which was nearly 40 years ago, we might have one cremation a year, whereas now, we might have ten cremations a year.
“I think it’s just a general trend, in most cases, it’s down to personal preference.
“We’re travelling a lot more, so a lot more people have experienced cremation as an option, whereas once upon a time, it was just burials.
“More and more people are opting for it, some are doing it to get away from the whole religious thing, some have an actual dread of being buried, buried alive and there has been a gradual move and in some of the bigger cities, it could be down to expense.”
