Services

Phil O’Reilly Undertakers offer a comprehensive, compassionate and confidential funeral service at all times. We make all of the necessary funeral arrangements meeting the needs and wishes of the deceased and the bereaved.

O’Reilly Funeral Services include:

• Availability 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year on 05793 21210
• Embalming & Cremation
• A personal and compassionate funeral service
• Overseas Arrangement & worldwide repatriation
• Do not demand an upfront deposit payment
• Offer a multi-denominational and non-religious services in Offaly
• Prepare obituaries for publication in newspapers and radio
• Contacting clergy with regards to removal and burial arrangements
• Disbursements made on your behalf include clergy, vocalist, sacristan, servers, death notices, grave diggers
• Arrangement of graveyard or crematorium wishes
• Opening and dressing of the grave for burial
• Provision of Limosines and funeral cars as required
• Condolence books for house/funeral home and Church
• Crepe for house and buisness front
• Collection of Mass Cards and condolence books at the service
• Umbrellas and canopy provided for rainy days.
• Organisation of catering after the removal/funeral
• Wreaths & Ornamental Decorations
• Grave Decoration

If you require or need any information about funeral services that we can provide, please call us on 05793 21210

About O’Reilly Funeral Services Tullamore

Complete, Personal and Reliable Funeral Services in Offaly

The O’Reilly family have 50 years of experience in the funeral trade. The undertakers was purchased in 1970 by Phil O’Reilly Snr. His father before him had a bicycle shop at the site of the current undertakers in Harbour Street in 1932. The business has grown since then, due to the professional and personal service given by the O’Reilly Family. The business is now shared with his son, Phil Jnr while Phil Snr., retaining a very active role and always on hand at funerals.

Funeral Arrangements

There are no easy words, no quick sentences, or sayings available to describe the devastating loss, the overwhelming grief, the vacuum, the sense of emptiness, the awful feeling that occurs in the pits of ones stomach when a loved one leaves us. We know that this is a difficult time but by calling us we will be able to advise and help in the carrying out of all the necessary arrangements. Here we have outlined some information to help you.

Initial Information [we require]

Name of the deceased
Address of the deceased
Date of death
Place of death
Has the doctor being contacted? (If the person dies at home)
Has the priest being contacted? (If the person dies at home)

Arrangements carried out by us

Date, Time and Place of removal
Date, Time and Place of Mass
Organisation of cemetry or crematorium
Notification of clergy to confirm times
Obituary notices for paper/radio and rip.ie
Music for mass (if required)
Organise graveyard plot if needed
Opening and dressing of the grave for burial
Crepe for house or business front
Condolence books

Prepartion of the deceased

Embalming
Clothes for the deceased
Coffin
Moving of remains to home/funeral home

At O’Reilly’s Funeral Directors Tullamore all of these arrangements are taken care of with dignity, compassion and understanding.

General Information on what do to when someone dies

A. Bereavement Grants

How do I claim a Bereavement Grant?

You can get the application forms by phoning LoCall 1890 20 23 25 or LoCall 1890 500 000 or you can get one at your Social Welfare Local Office, local Post Office or Citizens Information Centre. The forms can also be downloaded from the internet at www.welfare.ie

What if I don’t qualify for a Bereavement Grant?

If you do not qualify for a Bereavement Grant you may get assistance towards the funeral expenses under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, which is operated by the Health Boards. No social insurance contributions are required as payment is based on the means of the person responsible for paying the funeral bill. You should apply to your local Community Welfare Officer at your local Health Centre before you pay the funeral bill, as the cheque will be issued to the undertaker/funeral director. The SWA scheme also provides for Exceptional Needs Payments in particular situations

B. Other Useful information

In this section looks in more detail at the issues dealt with in the Frequently Asked Questions, as well as some other topics which may arise in the months following a bereavement

Where did the Death take Place

In Hospital:

The majority of deaths occur in hospital and the hospital staff arranges for the laying out of the body, provide a medical certificate of the cause of death and register the death. Most hospitals have mortuaries where the body of the deceased is held until the funeral arrangements are made. You can decide to take the body home or have the remains brought to a funeral home. Another decision is whether or not to have the body embalmed if, for example, there is a delay in organising the funeral. These are personal decisions for you and your family

At Home:

If a death occurs at home, you need to contact the doctor (GP) who attended to the deceased during their final illness. Contact your local Funeral Director who will deal with all the necessary arrangements.

Death Abroad:

Every country has its own rules about the formalities to be followed when a person dies. An undertaker here in Ireland should be able to help you deal with these formalities and arrange for the remains to be brought home if you wish.

Registering The Death:

All deaths must be registered with the Registrar of Deaths in the area where the death occurred (not necessarily where the deceased used to live). There are Registrars of Deaths in every county. The person responsible for registering the death is the nearest relative present at the death. If you are registering the death you must get a medical certificate showing the cause of death and this must be signed by a doctor who has treated the deceased in the 28 days before the death (or by the Coroner if applicable). In the case of a Coroner’s post mortem, the Coroner will register the death.

Stillbirths:

If you are the parent of a stillborn child, there is no legal obligation on you to register the death. However, you may do so within forty-two days of the birth. The doctor who attended the birth or examined the child must provide, free of charge, a signed medical certificate which states the weight and gestational age of the child. You can then register the birth with the local Registrar of Births. If you do not do so, the hospital registers the birth at the end of the forty-two day period, and within 4 months of the birth. Stillborn children born before 1st January 1995 may have their births registered by a parent at any time. Evidence of the birth will be needed, for example, a statement from the hospital or the attending doctor. You, the parent(s) must personally attend the Registrar’s Office.

Checklist of Details Required When Registering a Death:

• Full name and surname of deceased
• The deceased’s PPS Number
• Sex, marital status, occupation and date of birth or age of deceased
• Date and place of death
• If the deceased was married the occupation of their spouse, or deceased spouse if widowed
• Medical Certificate of the cause of death

Post Mortems:

A post mortem (sometimes called an autopsy) is an examination carried out by a pathologist after the death to try to establish the medical cause of death. The majority of deaths do not require any post mortem because the medical cause of death can be certified by a doctor – a GP or hospital doctor – who has been treating the deceased in the month prior to the death. A medical certificate of cause of death is required in order to register a death. Sometimes the doctor may not be able to give such a certificate without conducting a post mortem, even if he/she has been treating the deceased. If you are the next of kin, it is usual to ask for your permission before conducting a post mortem. However, it is not clear that such permission is necessary. In certain circumstances, a Coroner may have to be informed of the death and he/she may require a post mortem to be held. The permission of the next of kin is not required in these cases.

The Role Of The Coroner:

A Coroner is involved in all cases of sudden and unexpected death. Certain deaths must be reported to the Coroner. All doctors, registrars of death, funeral undertakers as well as people in charge of the premises in which a person died are obliged to inform the coroner (or a Garda Sergeant) if they suspect that the person died, either directly or indirectly;

• As a result of violence or misadventure
• By unfair means
• As a result of negligence or misconduct or malpractice on the part of others
• From any cause other than natural illness or disease for which the deceased had been seen and treated by a doctor within a month before the death
• In such circumstances as may require investigation

It is an offence for any person not to carry out this duty. The Coroner may establish that the death was due to natural causes and, if so, he/she issues a medical certificate of the cause of death (which can then be used to register the death).If you are the next of kin, you must apply to the Coroner’s Court for this certificate and the Coroner’s report. A fee of €5.90 is payable for the report. The report will not be sent automatically

Inquests:

If, after a post mortem, the Coroner is still unable to establish the medical cause of death, an inquest may be held. An inquest is an enquiry into the cause of death, i.e. when, where, how and why did the death occur. In general, an inquest must be held if the Coroner considers that the death was violent or unnatural or happened suddenly or from unknown causes. A post mortem and inquest is always required in cases of suicide. An inquest does not involve any assessment of criminal liability. In some cases, a jury must be present at an inquest but the jury has a fairly limited role. If there are criminal proceedings involved, the inquest must be adjourned until those proceedings have been completed. After the inquest, the Coroner issues a medical certificate of the cause of death. The Coroner will register the death in these cases. The Death Certificate will then be available from the District Registrar’s office.

Orphans:

If the bereaved include orphans under the age of 18, immediate arrangements have to be made for them. In most cases, family members care for orphans until long-term arrangements are made. If there are no family members to do this, the Health Board should be informed and they will make arrangements for the care of the children. If the parent(s) have appointed guardians in a will, then the guardians are responsible for making decisions about the children. Appointed guardians do not have to accept this responsibility. If they do accept the responsibility, they do not necessarily take custody of the children, i.e. have day-to day care. Any dispute about who should be guardians and who should have custody has to be decided by the Courts. That decision is based on the best interests of the child.

Donating Organs:

If you are the next of kin, it is important to act quickly if it is the deceased’s wish to donate organs. If they were carrying an organ donor card and died in hospital, the hospital will contact the person named as next of kin before arranging the removal of organs for transplantation. It is usual to get your family’s consent for this. If the deceased was not carrying an organ donor card or was too young to have such, the family may be asked to agree to organ donation. You can get further information from the Irish Kidney Association, see Useful Addresses section. Organs for transplantation are only removed from people who die in hospital and the permission of the next of kin is requested.

Funeral Arrangements – Burial or Cremation:

The deceased may have left specific instructions about where to be buried or to be cremated and what form the religious or other service should take. Most people respect the deceased’s wishes where possible. Usually, the undertaker makes the arrangements for providing a coffin, getting a grave, putting death notices in the papers or sending them to local radio stations. You may make the religious service arrangements directly with the church or the undertaker may do that for you.

1. Burial:

All burials must be registered with the local authority and the location of the grave noted – this is done by the people who manage the graveyard.

2. Cremation:

Cremation facilities are available in Dublin but not yet in other parts of the Country. The Dublin facilities are not restricted to Dublin people. Before cremation, forms must be signed by a medical referee who must be satisfied that the attending doctor viewed the body before and after death, completed the medical certificate and the necessary form stating that there is no reason why the body should not be cremated. The attending doctor is required to examine whether or not the death should be notified to the Coroner. There may be difficulties arranging an immediate cremation if the cause of death is not clear. A Coroner may in this case complete a Coroner’s Cremation Certificate. In some cases, a Garda Superintendent has the power to stop a cremation.

All Information on this page is courtesy of Comhairle and may be subject to change. For the latest informaton, plese visit their website www.comhairle.ie

FAQ’s on Funeral Arrangements

What is embalming?

Embalming, in most modern cultures, is the art and science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall decomposition and to make them suitable for public display at a funeral. The four goals of embalming are thus sanitisation, conservation, presentation and preservation (or restoration) of a corpse to achieve this effect.

Who should I inform of the death?

The next of kin, GP and the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages should be informed immediately. Most people die of natural causes, however if the death is sudden and unexpected, the Gardaí and the Coroner may need to be informed. At a later stage you will need to inform the Department of Social and Family Affairs, if the person who died was getting a social welfare payment, or was a dependent on another person’s payment. You should also inform relevant insurance companies.

Who has to register the death?

If the death occurred at home, the next of kin or nearest relative present at the death must register the death by bringing a Medical Certificate of cause of death to the appropriate Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, usually within 5 days. The appropriate Registrar is determined by where the death took place, not where the deceased lived. The deceased’s family doctor (GP) normally issues the medical certificate, but it can be any doctor. The hospital usually registers the death if the death happened in hospital Deaths referred to the County or City Coroner are registered when the Registrar receives a certificate of the post-mortem examination or inquest from the Coroner.

What is the role of the funeral director/undertaker?

They will deal all arrangements regarding the burial or cremation, including organising the burial plot, newspaper notices and religious services if you wish. They can also organise transport of the deceased and mourners, help with arrangements for the church service, liaising with those involved in these arrangements, e.g. florists etc. They will also assist you to obtain any documentation necessary both before and after the funeral. The Irish Association of Funeral Directors have drawn up a The Code of Cremation Practise that explains what you can expect from any one of their members.

Who deals with the will?

Generally, the person named in a will as executor has the job of dealing with the terms of the will and taking out probate. There may be more than one executor. If no executor has been appointed, or if the named executor does not wish to act, an administrator may be appointed.

What is the procedure if the deceased didn’t make a will?

If there is no will the next of kin can apply to the Probate Office for a grant of representation.

What are your rights as a spouse where there is a will?

If there is a will Where there are no children, you are entitled to one half of the estate; Where there are children, you are entitled to one third of the estate. The children are not necessarily entitled to the rest.

What are your rights as a spouse where there is no will?

If there is no will:Where there are no children, you are entitled to the entire estate; Where there are children, you are entitled to two thirds, one third is divided equally between the children (if a child has already died, his/her children take a share).

Will I have to pay inheritance tax?

If your inheritance is from your spouse it is exempt from Inheritance Tax (Capital Acquisitions Tax). Otherwise, depending on your degree of relationship with the deceased, there are certain thresholds above which CAT is payable:
Children and grandchildren under 18: €441,198
Brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, grandchildren: €44,120
Others: €22,060
These figures relate to the tax year 2003, in which tax is payable on the balance at 20%. The family home is exempt from CAT where the person who inherits it has lived there for at least the previous 3 years and has no other house. They must own and reside in the house for six years after inheriting it.