"I'm just checking the deaths"

[Dartz]

"You'll never guess who'se dead."

If there's one thing few people realise about Ireland, it's that you're never too far from death. Death lives in the national consciousness in a way it does in few other parts of the world - and it's not even something most Irish people notice.

And while you might have the Obituaries page for the rich and famous in other parts of the world, the Death notices here are as much a part of life as any other notice. From a page for the deaths in the back of the  newspaper, to the announcements of the recently deceased on the local radio, or website like RIP.ie that broadcast the deaths worldwide. A short memorial line, a remembrance from the family, and the details of the funeral for those who want to go.

I don't know if anything like that exists anywhere else. Maybe it does. It's a wonderful thing.

Me Granny passed Sunday evening at about 9pm. She was 91. In truth she might've been gone for years - dementia had already gotten her and she didn't even know herself anymore. But she stopped taking her food last week and that was that. She passed surrounded by everyone who could make it -- I'd been asked to wait to see if someone needed a pickup but by the time I got word they didn't it was too late.

By chance I drove past her nursing home for work twice, just about 2 weeks ago. I had the thought to sneak in for a quick visit - but I wasn't sure how to explain that and, well, Covid and dementia and all that - she wouldn't have recognised me on my own. Can't do that now anyway.

I'm doing alright, so long as I don't see people's response to the photos I put up on facebook - and so long as I keep going to work for the next few days. We'll all do it soon enough anyway.

[robkelk]

I'll raise a glass to your gran this evening, Dartz.

(We don't have anything central here in Canada - the funeral homes have their own websites, and the expectation is that family calls family, passing the news down the line. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Your system looks better.)

[hazard]

Obituaries are a daily thing in the Dutch newspapers, and often you can find the primary notice (by the immediate family), followed family further away, friends, various clubs and societies the deceased was part of or close to and their employer if they died while employed or after a fairly recent retirement (think 5 years or less, generally speaking).

Invitation to the funeral for close associates is generally done by card, which are 'must deliver' items, with the obituary posted by the immediate family declaring times for the wake and whether or not people who are not explicitly invited by card are welcome.


That all aside though Dartz, my condolences. Death may come for us all eventually, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

[Bob Schroeck]

You'll come through, Dartz. I know this well, as both my parents passed away with me miles from them -- fortunately they had family nearby when they did, but it didn't include me. It hurts, but the hurt fades with time. Hold on, keep living, and keep doing what you do; time will help ease the feelings.

[Dartz]

Thanks.

As I said, I'm fine. This has been coming for a while, and nobody's surprised.

Truth is, it'll be the first time in 2-3 years we've all seen each other.

[Rajvik]

Stateside, obits for the common person tends to go out in local papers, but unless your someone famous your not going to hear of it on the national level, the country is just to damn big for that. (Looks at most of the European countries) It would surprise me if other countries out there weren't similar to Ireland, but i'm not well travelled so...

keep it together my friend