Mayo undertaker behind opening of west's first crematorium

The first crematorium in the province of Connaught, situated in Collooney, Co. Sligo, is to be open by the end of the year.

Behind the venture is David McGowan, CEO of McGowan Funeral Directors, Ballina.

Sligo County Council has granted planning permission and construction work is well underway.

The decision to build a new crematorium reflects the increased demand for cremation in Ireland in recent years.

At the moment, there are six crematoriums in the Republic, three in Dublin with the remainder in Cavan, Shannon and Cork.

Explaining the rationale behind his new venture, David McGowan explained: “We need it. Cremation is hugely on the rise at the moment.

“At the moment we are bringing bodies for cremation to Cavan and Shannon.

"Both are fine crematorium but there is a lot of distance involved.

“You have to remember a family has to an hour of a ritual, be it as Mass or a service or whatever, then there’s maybe three and a half hours to the existing crematoria.

"There’s a complete day involved. I know from talking to the families involved that they find that very taxing”.

A factor in the growing numbers of people opting for cremation is pressure on cemetery space and the increased of burial plots in towns and cities.