Mary Elizabeth Dillon - What do you say?

What do you say?

‘I’m never lost for words’, so says Mary Elizabeth Dillon from Civil Funerals Ireland, in response to the query, ‘what do you say at funeral services?’.

Sometimes the words flow easily, some people live very full and diverse lives which give rise to plenty of anecdotes, happy memories to share, and the telling of a lifestory going back many years. These are the easy funeral services to manage, organise and deliver. The problem here is keeping to the time frame allocated.

Mary Elizabeth has often had to ask people, when going to the crematorium, to curtail their remarks to fit the time available and, while being as sensitive as possible in doing so, nonetheless sometimes people feel upset or angry. What people don’t realise, she says, is that a long speech is only remembered because it is long, whereas a short few words from the heart have more impact and last longer in the memory because they are poignant and personal.

It also happens that a family may decide that they do not want to speak themselves but will ask Mary Elizabeth to speak on their behalf. Meeting with them in advance gives the opportunity to get an idea of what they want and more especially what they do not want. Where a relationship has broken down with a loved one, it is often not appropriate to use flowing words of tribute or to heap praise on the deceased. Rather it is better to stick to the facts of a person’s life and to outline their biography. In a case like this Mary Elizabeth often calls on her considerable file of poetry and words which she has put together over the years to find something appropriate which she or a family member can read. It is often in a case like this that families are particularly appreciative of the sensitive handling of their needs at a very difficult time. For Mary Elizabeth, dealing with a difficult funeral and producing a fitting and appropriate service is one of the most fulfilling and satisfying elements of working in the funeral industry.

Civil funerals allow a great deal of scope for originality and being able to work in as wide a way as possible and this in turn allows the celebrant to offer so much to a grieving family.

By Mary Elizabeth Dillon

Civil Funerals Ireland

Simple, unique, personal funeral services • An alternative to the traditional • Celebrating Life • Reflecting the wishes and beliefs of the deceased and their loved ones • Provides an opportunity to pay a fitting tribute • Any suitable venue can be used

Funerals conducted throughout Ireland Mary Elizabeth Dillon is available between 9am - 11pm 7 days a week Tel ROI: 0402 91273 / Mobile: 087 957 4476 Email: info@civilfuneralsireland.com

DOSCARD.COM Detachable Order of Service Card

The Doscard™ is fast becoming an integral part of all funeral services today.

The benefits to both the grieving families and the acting Funeral Directors are incomparable.

Be the first in your area to: Become a “Registered Doscard™ Funeral Director” today

To avail of our time limited 30 Day free trial visit: www.doscard.com

Forsey and Son opt for a greener future with Coleman Milne Hybrid

Innovative Coleman Milne were the first UK ceremonial manufacturer to introduce CO2 reducing hybrid technology to their range and were delighted when Forsey and Son, including their sister company Trotman, invested in three hybrid Norwood Classic hearses and two coordinating hybrid Rosedale limousines. These imposing vehicles, finished in Tenorite Grey and upholstered in opulent black leather, feature expansive glass roofs, three bearer seats, wreath rails, illuminated signs and name badges to add a personal touch.

Fusing energy and efficiency, the Coleman Milne Ford based hybrid range sources power from both a battery driven electric motor and fuel engine. The smart technology effortlessly switches between the two powertrains or uses a combination of both. The high-voltage battery is recharged using the energy normally lost through friction breaking so there’s no need to stop and plug in.

Adrian Forsey commented: “We have long established an uncompromising high standard befitting to all our clients and renewing our fleet took careful consideration and research. We were seeking a robust fleet that delivers premium styling with first rate performance. Coleman Milne’s Stacey Moore arranged for us

to test three demonstration vehicles with diesel, petrol and hybrid drivetrains.

Being based in picturesque Somerset, we appreciate the obvious environmental benefits of the fuel-efficient Hybrid technology. With the sophisticated design and powerful but virtually silent drive, it became clear that the Norwood and Rosedale Hybrid collection was the ideal choice for our business. Placing the order was our highlight at the 2019 NFE exhibition.”

Family-run Forsey and Son operate over four branches located in Glastonbury, Somerton, Butleigh and Shepton Mallet. They remain an independent business and offering a highly personal, flexible and sympathetic service has been their ethos for over 70 years. These fundamental values have earned the company a solid reputation throughout the region.

Let us run your software, while you run your business EULOGICA CLOUD

78 | FuneralTimes D o you wish to access Eulogica and other programmes with ease, wherever you are and from any kind of device? Would you rather not invest in servers or other complex infrastructure? With Eulogica Cloud, your computing can be both simple and secure! Many funeral companies do not wish to operate their own computer server, as this comes with many costs and responsibilities – management, security, backup and more. Eulogica offers a simple and affordable alternative – we can move your data and software to our Cloud servers, where we will look after it every day.

All of the usual Eulogica benefits are available – your business can still have its own Eulogica configuration in line with our principle that «every Funeral Director is unique». Not only Eulogica, but also other programmes and data can be gathered in one place and made easily accessible through a single login.

With Eulogica Cloud, you can access Eulogica and your other programmes from a wide range of devices, using our website or an app. You can use almost any type of computer, tablet or smartphone – regardless if it runs Windows, Mac OS, iOS or Android.

With Eulogica Cloud, there is no need to worry about investments in infrastructure, or the limitations of servers or networks. The number of users can be scaled up or down on short notice – we will provide computing power as required.

If you wish, it is also possible to use other programmes as part of our Eulogica Cloud solution - for example MS Office, accounting programmes etc. This means that you get the opportunity for a comprehensive solution for your software needs. Here is a summary of the benefits with using Eulogica Cloud; • Access to Eulogica from any computer, tablet or smartphone • Any other software can also be hosted (depending on selected Cloud option) • Backup, security and updates taken care of • No need for a server or other complex equipment • One point of contact for support

To get started - please, call us at 0845 3519 935 or send an email to enquiries@eulogica. com