Planning granted for funeral training centre in Carlow town

PLANNING permission was approved on 30 January for a new funeral training centre to be built behind Burke McDermott Funeral Home on Railway Road, Carlow town. The centre will consist of a 211sq/m, single-storey building for two or three students at a time in funeral preparation.

Mortuary Science Ireland Ltd, which will occupy the site, submitted the application for the development on 13 July 2025.

Director of the company Cyril Gantley explained that they work with the British Institute of Embalmers, which offers the only worldwide qualification in the industry. Mortuary Science Ireland offers a three-year diploma course, which involves academic and practical elements. It teaches a maximum of ten or eleven students at a time to ensure they get the teachers’ “undivided attention”, said Mr Gantley.

Funeral services is an unregulated industry, he noted, and demand for accredited services has come from within the industry, from insurance companies and countries during repatriation arrangements.

Mr Gantley has operated Mortuary Science Ireland Ltd out of Athy, with the other director Susan Moran, since 2004. They “deal with all aspects of funeral services, from the funeral to care of the deceased,” explained Mr Gantley. They grew out of their current training centre in Athy and the “opportunity to team up with Charles McDermott” arose in Carlow.

Mr Gantley and Ms Moran are “over the moon” to have permission approved. Mr Gantley said: “The whole positioning around the centre is fantastic,” with the train station across the road making it an accessible location for students.

Burke McDermott, the existing funeral home, will remain operating as usual, and the new training centre will be open between 10.30am to 7.30pm, Monday to Friday. The permission granted by the council was subject to 14 conditions, relating to parking and traffic, environmental preservation and protection of the unique character of the site.