Funeral Expenses

[ribena]

I know someone who had their child cremated, scattered her ashes over the garden and then sold their house two or three years later and moved away.

 

[ClubMan]

Also another cheaper option is to be buried in the back yard. I know of one such burial in the last week.

I didn't think that this was possible at least without special permission. At the very least there are public health issues to be considered. Can you expand on the details of the case you mention without infringing on the privacy of the people involved?

I know someone who had their child cremated, scattered her ashes over the garden and then sold their house two or three years later and moved away.

So? That's their prerogative. Not everybody needs some physical representation of the deceased (e.g. a grave/headstone or urn of ashes) in order to grieve properly and remember them. In fact some people may explicitly want no physical reminder if it would be too emotionally distressing for them. It's impossible, intrusive and meaningless to infer anything from a person's actions in this context. It's their business and nobody else's. Burying a body in the back garden is different as it may impact on others!

My former neighbour buried her father's ashes beneath an apple tree in their garden and I don't recall her retrieving them when she moved house.

 

[bond-007]

I didn't think that this was possible at least without special permission. At the very least there are public health issues to be considered. Can you expand on the details of the case you mention without infringing on the privacy of the people involved?.

Sure, It was in the deceased persons will that he wished to be buried in his back yard under a tree. Permission was sought from the county council (Laois) and this was granted without question.

 

[ClubMan]

Thanks. It wasn't clear from your original post that planning permissions was sought/granted. I presume that bodies can't be arbitrarily buried wherever the next of kin decide without some sort of oversight.

 

[Vanilla]

As far as I am aware, it is extremely unusual for councils to grant permission for burial on private land. There have been some very emotive cases on the matter in the courts.

To be honest I think it is very unusual too for someones ashes to be scattered in the back garden or buried in the back garden and then the house sold. Perhaps I'm overly sentimental, but I can't imagine doing this. One of my relatives was cremated a few years back and we had a ceremony ( with a willing priest) at the beach when her ashes were scattered in the sea. I thought that was nice, and everytime we go to that beach we think of her.

 

[Berni]

There is nothing stopping you from buying your plot from the Council either.

Depends on the council - in Fingal, you have to be over 65 or dead already!
[broken link removed]

 

[bond-007]

I can think of one case in Wicklow about 20 years ago where a man buried his wife in the woods without permission. AFAIK the body was exhumed by court order and the man faced prosecution.

 

[Bamhan]

I can think of one case in Wicklow about 20 years ago where a man buried his wife in the woods without permission. AFAIK the body was exhumed by court order and the man faced prosecution.

Was she dead?

 

[bond-007]

Was she dead?

Oh yes!

 

[ribena]

I
So? That's their prerogative. Not everybody needs some physical representation of the deceased (e.g. a grave/headstone or urn of ashes) in order to grieve properly and remember them. In fact some people may explicitly want no physical reminder if it would be too emotionally distressing for them. It's impossible, intrusive and meaningless to infer anything from a person's actions in this context. It's their business and nobody else's. Burying a body in the back garden is different as it may impact on others!

My former neighbour buried her father's ashes beneath an apple tree in their garden and I don't recall her retrieving them when she moved house.

God ClubMan, I think you're being a bit harsh. I was merely stating the fact nothing else. I agree, it is everyone's prerogative and quite frankly when it comes down to it, you won't have the choice because it will be whatever your relatives do in the end of the day. I personally don't think I could sell my house and move 200 miles away when I've scattered my child's remains in the garden, I personally would like to go and visit a headstone as I think I would find it more comforting and I personally would hate to buy a house with someone buried or scattered or whatever out the back.

 

[ciara_gmail]

I remember getting a leaflet through the door about 2 years ago promoting how to save on funerals. You buy the cheap wood casket to put the body in and then you hire the outside one that costs a lot and once the service is over, you're left with the cheap one...or rather the grave yard/crematorium is.

It shocked me a lot to see this kind of stuff on a flyer...im only mid 20's and lucky enough i've never had anyone close to me die yet, even grandparents so its not something id know a lot about or know how to deal with when the time comes.

 

[demoivre]

One could always consider this option [broken link removed] as a practical alternative to the traditional funeral.

 

[Sue Ellen]

Some families might qualify for payments to help with funeral costs under either:



[broken link removed]

 

[ClubMan]

God ClubMan, I think you're being a bit harsh. I was merely stating the fact nothing else.

What fact does the emoticon represent?

I know someone who had their child cremated, scattered her ashes over the garden and then sold their house two or three years later and moved away.

I personally would hate to buy a house with someone buried or scattered or whatever out the back.

What you don't know won't hurt you. I never mentioned the ashes issue to my new neighbours and presume that they don't know (assuming that they are still there).