Help and Questions
Our experienced staff are happy to answer any questions you may have about our services at Glasnevin Cemetery & Crematorium, and will work with you to fulfil the wishes of the deceased. Some common questions about burials and cremations are answered here.
Burials
Your first port of call will be to contact a funeral director, who will guide you through the process with expert care and sensitivity. Please see our directory of funeral directors who are located in the Dublin area.
You can purchase a grave in advance of burial. If this is something that works for you, please contact Glasnevin Cemetery for further information on this service. Otherwise, you make the payment at the time of burial. It is important to note that the cost of a foundation for a headstone is not included in this fee, please see the regulations at the end of this page.
The grave owner and their direct family (husband, wife, children, mother, and father) can be buried in a grave without written permission. Any other relative or person associated with the grave owner can be buried in the grave with written permission from the owner. In the case where the grave owner cannot provide this permission, it will need to come from the grave owner’s spouse, children (all), or executor with the appropriate authority.
The grave owner (Right to be Buried in the Grave) remains the owner ‘in perpetuity’ (forever) unless they transfer ownership to a nominated party in their lifetime.
Yes. If this is an option that works in accordance with the wishes of the deceased, please contact Glasnevin Cemetery to arrange this process. In the case where the family plot is full, this is an option that may work as the urn is placed underneath the headstone of the grave. This method ensures that there is minimal disruption to the family grave and those that surround it. It is important to note that the scattering of ashes is not permitted within the grounds of any Dublin Cemeteries Trust locations.
Within lawn-style sections of the cemetery the lawns and gardens are maintained by Dublin Cemeteries Trust.
Graves can be maintained as follows:
By the families.
By the Dublin Cemeteries Trust on a single one off basis and also on an annual basis.
A yearly maintenance fee is charged on all burials; the grave will therefore be tidied by Dublin Cemeteries Trust for one year after the burial.
Cremations
A cremation service is similar to a conventional funeral service. In many cases, the service will take place in the local church or relevant building appropriate to the beliefs of the deceased. There are is a chapel at Glasnevin, and there is an option to have a short committal service prior to the cremation (similar to that at the graveside in the case of a burial) if this is appropriate to the wishes of the deceased and their loved ones. There is no obligation to do so.
Mourners gather in the chapel and the coffin arrives. Family members may wish to carry the coffin into the chapel, where it is placed on the catafalque and the family will be directed to their seats. The service generally lasts about 20 minutes. Following the service, the coffin is gently moved to the committal room, and mourners disperse. The coffin will then be taken to the crematorium. The cremation technicians undertake the necessary checks and procedures to ensure that all details relating to the deceased are in order.
Music can be played at all services, and families may provide their music of choice. The first piece is played as the coffin is carried into the chapel, and the second piece at the committal. There are no restrictions on the type of music played, but please not the celebrant conducting the service must be informed in advance. Screens are also available in Glasnevin if you wish to celebrate the life of the deceased through images or video.
Contact us directly to discuss your requirements as soon as you are ready after the passing of your loved one. Your funeral director will assist you ensuring that all of the required forms are completed, liaising with our staff and a medical referee, who has the authority to sign the papers for cremation. A list of funeral directors is here.
It is recommended that all jewellery belonging to the deceased is removed prior to the cremation process. In the case where there are metals remaining once the cremation process comes to completion, they will be taken care of in a sensitive and sustainable manner. We work with a company called Orthometals BV, based in the Netherlands, who are specialists in recycling metals in these circumstances.
The only exceptions are in cases such as a mother and baby or twin children, if the closest relative makes the request that the two be cremated together.
The ashes of your loved one will generally be available to collect within 48 hours. An appointment should be made with the crematorium to discuss the options available, the choice of urn will be dictated by the final resting place of the ashes.
Ashes must be collected in person by a family member, and ID is required.
Yes. A completely secure system is in place to ensure that the ashes are always correctly placed in the appropriate urn.
Yes. This poses no problem and is just one of the services available.
Finglas Road
Dublin
D11 XA32