Funeral parlours struggle with urns left behind

FUNERAL directors have voiced concerns over the number of urns – containing dead loved ones’ ashes – going uncollected from undertakers.

One of Dublin’s top funeral homes has nearly 60 urns gathering dust in a vault, while another leading funeral home has interred uncollected ashes in a grave.

In one funeral parlour, ashes have been abandoned for half a century and, in another case, family members arrived back at the parlour to claim an urn 30 years after their loved one’s cremation.

Colm Kieran, of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors, said: ‘They are human remains. As cremations increase in popularity here, it is going to be a mounting problem and one we are very concerned about.

‘It could be a family dispute or there may not be family members close enough to collect them or it could be someone overseas. Cremations are on the rise and, as the years go on, it’s an issue which will increase. We would be suggesting there should be some guidelines put in place by the Department of Health or the Department of the Environment.’

Gus Nichols, spokesperson for one of Dublin’s biggest undertakers, Fanagan’s Funeral Directors, said the group has opened a specific grave for abandoned ashes in Mount Jerome, in Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6W. He explained: ‘We had sets of ashes here we could find no home for at all. People had gone off the grid. They would refuse to acknowledge letters or phone calls. So, we have interred them in a specific grave in Mount Jerome and ultimately should anyone come back to us they are retrievable. At least they are in consecrated ground.’

Mr Nichols also said it is against the law not to bury a body. ‘Ultimately disposition has to happen, the State wouldn’t allow it. If you have a situation where there is a John Doe and they can’t trace any relatives or responsible person then ultimately the coroner here will issue a burial order. That doesn’t happen with ashes and maybe it should.’