Geraldine

Geraldine Bane joined Dignity Funeral Care, Loughrea in September 2018. Geraldine’s background is in healthcare with experience in advocacy and public relations. In 2019 she completed her Certification in Funeral Directing with distinctions, as accredited by the Irish Association of Funeral Directors. Geraldine admits that some of the most valuable insights she has gained in her role as a funeral director were through observing and listening to Tony Williams.

‘Talking to Tony, watching how he works and the standards he values, gave me a powerful insight into Dignity Funeral Care. I am very aware of the incredibly responsible and privileged position you are in, when a family choose you to guide them through organising their loved one’s funeral’

In 2020 Geraldine trained with the Irish Institute of Celebrants and qualified as a funeral celebrant. Since then Geraldine has officiated at many funeral services and has guided families to plan a farewell for their loved one, that reflected their loved one’s life perfectly.

This puts Dignity Funeral Care in a unique position, in that they can offer the services of their in-house celebrant to the bereaved, should they wish to have a civil service.

“Celebrants work very closely with the bereaved to create a service that reflects their beliefs, their life story, the philosophy and the personality of the one they have lost. A civil service can be full of stories, music, song and prayers, depending on the preference of loved ones. A civil service can happen in a funeral home, at a crematorium, in the person’s home, or at a venue of the families choosing. A family will always receive a copy of the service, after the funeral, which can often be a source of comfort to a family in the days following the funeral.