A local undertaker says he thinks it would be ridiculous to stop publishing funeral details.
It comes as the Irish Association of Funeral Directors is urging its members not to post details because of fears that funeral-goers are not adhering to Covid-19 health guidelines.
However, Jasper Murphy of McCarthy’s Undertakers in Fethard says he doesn’t agree with that at all:
“I think it’s a bit ridiculous asking people not to put up details of funerals because with social media out there at the moment, everything is going to be found out anyway.
“I think it’s hard enough for families to cope with what’s going on, without that. And also we’re trying to find other ways of doing funerals, like broadcasting them, so if you’re going to broadcast a funeral you have to put the details up online.”
Jasper says he has witnessed large crowds at funerals, but they’ve all been properly managed.
He says that situation all depends on how the gatherings are managed:
“I’ve had a few different cases now where we’ve even had home wakes and there was a large attendance. But like if they’re properly patrolled – keep people outside, only let them in in ones and twos.
“In some cases I’ve had families who didn’t want to meet people because there’s somebody sick in the house and what we’ve done is we’ve put a barrier between the people.
“And in the cemetery recently, I’ve put a barrier, I’ve put a table out and we’ve put the flowers out on it that were sent for the funeral. The people stayed behind the table and the family at the other side, people passed by, everybody saw each other and it was acceptable.”
