Funerals Live Stream Irish Funerals Over Internet
Funerals Live will allow people outside of Ireland to watch live video and audio of funerals and burials over the internet. Reuters

An Irish company will allow overseas relatives and friends watch the funerals and burials of loved ones over the internet.

Funerals Live will offer family and friends the chance to watch and listen to the funeral mass and burial live, or give them the option of getting a video recording of the events within two hours.

"Wherever in the world our client may be, whether it is in Australia or the United States, this service provides them with private weblink to a live stream of a funeral service or the option of a video recording of the entire service, including the burial, within two hours of its conclusion," founder Alan Foudy told the Irish Independent.

"The general feeling was that a live webcast or a delayed broadcast of the service would be a better option rather than having to wait up to two weeks for a DVD to arrive by post."

Foudy believes this is the only service of its type in the UK or Ireland and came about after a family requested a DVD of a funeral to be sent to relatives abroad.

€850 for live funerals

The company's website is not yet online, but it is believed that Funerals Live will charge people from €350 for the basic package while a live stream will cost up to €850.

Foudy is targeting the huge Irish diaspora community in countries like the US and Australia, which may not be able to return home to Ireland at short notice to attend the funeral of a loved one.

Funerals in Ireland typically take place within days of a person passing away, making it difficult for some people to make it back in time. Foudy believes the service will also be useful for people in hospital or nursing homes who are unable to attend a funeral in person.

Foudy believes Funerals Live will create up to 10 new jobs in the next 18 months.

To assuage security concerns about viewing such a private event over the internet, Foudy revealed that the live streams would be password protected.

The live streams will only be possible once Foudy has secured permission from the family of the deceased and the parish priest.

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