As Featured in Business and Leadership – November 5th. Click here to read article.

Bereaved family and friends living overseas will now be able to attend funerals ‘virtually’ further to the opening of The Haven on Dublin’s Southside by Massey Brothers.

The Haven is also Ireland’s first venue designed specifically to host civil and religious funeral services.

Located 177 Crumlin Road, Dublin 12, The Haven is the result of an investment of €150,000 to refurbish the interior of the building and install the latest audio-visual and internet technology.

Freddie Maguire, managing director, Massey Bros. said that over the past number of years requests for choice have increased.

“What we have really created is a blank canvas which families can use to reflect their loved one in whatever way they feel is appropriate. This could be creating a theme around a sporting interest or hobby or simply holding a funeral ceremony in the middle of the night so that relatives in Australia or New Zealand can be a part of it via the internet.

“In our experience the funeral industry is about five years behind the wedding industry. We know that in 2009 almost half of people marrying in Dublin City married in civil ceremonies. Already, we are seeing around 10pc of the families we look after requesting civil funerals for their loved ones.

The last census showed that the number of people in Ireland with no religious affiliation had increased by 45pc to almost 270,000 people.

“We also know that the majority of families in Ireland now have at least one member living overseas,” Maguire continued.

“That is in addition to the large number of people from overseas who have made Ireland their home. It is not always possible for people to get home quickly to attend a funeral so we made the decision to invest in technology which would allow for people to be present via the internet.”

The Haven is available to families for religious or civil services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is able to accommodate up to 55 mourners as well as countless others via the internet. Families are able to customise The Haven to reflect the interests of their loved one and are free to use the audio-visual system to play music and display pictures and photographs.

Sorcha Corcoran – Business & Leadership