John McGowan & Son Funeral Directors & Funeral Home are here to help you through the grieving process. Contact us by phone or via our contact form. 

Welcome to John McGowan & Son Funeral Directors & Funeral Home

John McGowan & Son provide a complete, specialised funeral service for families in Frosses, Mountcharles, Inver and the surrounding areas including Donegal Town. We facilitate funerals for people from all religions and denominations.
We personally supervise all of our funerals allowing us to ensure a reliable high standard of dedicated care and attention.
John McGowan Funeral Services are a dedicated family run firm of funeral directors and we have built our business on our empathic approach, trust and experience over the past 10 years.

You can contact us at any time, we are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

We are members of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors and are fully insured.
Our role as Funeral Directors is to help you to make decisions about every aspect of the funeral being arranged (including its cost and payment), and to assume overall responsibility for supervising the funeral on your behalf in keeping with religious and personal beliefs and preferences, within the agreed budget.
As members of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors (I.A.F.D.), we adhere fully to the Code of Practice and Customer Care Charter issued by the I.A.F.D.

Our Services

The services we offer will be carried out in a caring and professional manner. We understand that this can be a difficult and traumatic time and we will do our utmost to provide the best possible service to you.
When you first contact us, we will arrange to meet with you in order to make the necessary arrangements.
We will liaise directly, on your behalf, with all those involved in providing the various elements of the chosen funeral arrangements.


Our services include:

  • Liaising with the Hospital or Nursing Home

  • Arranging for the care and transportation of the deceased and appropriate preparation/preservation and presentation for viewing at late residence, funeral home or hospitals.

  • Advising and assisting in the selection of a coffin from our showroom. We stock one of the largest selections of coffins available on the market. They vary in price, from the most basic to the more expensive, all of which are on display, day or night, in their completed form. Prices are available on request.

  • Embalming - qualified and experienced embalmers.

  • Use of a private Funeral Home, or Home Wakes, or a combination of both.

  • Making the arrangements with the Church, Cemetery / Crematorium Demand for cremation has grown significantly in Ireland in recent times. In many respects it is exactly the same as the more traditional funeral rite, however there are some important and practical differences. When the funeral cortege arrives at the crematorium chapel, there can be a short committal ceremony. The options for disposal are:

  • Private Disposal.

  • Interment or scattering at a garden of remembrance.

  • Interment in a columbarium wall.

You can contact us at any time, we are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

  • Please contact us for any queries on cremation.

  • Advising on content and arranging publication of announcements for newspapers / radio and Internet.

  • Advising on flowers - we can arrange collection of floral tributes

  • Arranging ceremony music.

  • Providing / arranging transport at the removal and funeral.

  • We have a hearse available to hire.

  • Assisting you in obtaining a Death Certificate and any other necessary documentation, both before and after the funeral.

  • Assisting with bereavement grant applications.

  • Arranging settlement on your behalf of all third party fees associated with the funeral arrangements.

  • Addressing any concerns you have about your chosen funeral arrangements

  • If you have particular requests please do not hesitate to talk to us and we will ensure these are dealt with in a dignified and professional manner.

  • Grave purchase and opening.

  • Advising and arranging for the erection of a new headstone or having additional inscriptions or renovations applied to an existing one. If you have purchased a new grave, we will provide a suitable marker for your convenience until such time as you are ready to discuss the erection of a new headstone.

  • You are assured that we operate in the strictest confidence at all times.

You can contact us at any time, we are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Information

Advanced Funeral Planning


It is becoming quite common for individuals to plan for their funeral for the purpose of ensuring their wishes are carried out and to minimise the stress on those left behind in terms of managing the funeral arrangements.
If you would like to discuss Advanced Funeral Planning with us in strictest confidence we will meet with you at the location of your choice to talk through your wishes, to advise and assist in whatever way we can.
We will arrange to draw up the details of your wishes for your approval and to have them forwarded to your executor/solicitor for the purpose of ensuring your specified wishes are carried out.
For any queries, please contact us.

The cost of a funeral


The cost of a funeral is made up of two charges:

  • Charges by the Funeral Director, to include the coffin, the removal of the deceased, the embalming of the body, and our professional fee for the arrangement and co-ordination of the funeral.

  • Disbursements paid out by us on your behalf to include grave purchase, grave opening and closing, cremation fees, newspapers, radio stations, organist, soloist, church offerings and gratuities.

The cost of each funeral will vary depending on the funeral chosen. We will provide you with an estimate of the cost based on your wishes. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time for details of the cost of a funeral.


Cremation


Demand for cremation has grown significantly in Ireland in recent times. In many respects it is exactly the same as the more traditional funeral rite, however there are some important and practical differences. When the funeral cortege arrives at the crematorium chapel, there can be a short committal ceremony following which the coffin is transferred to the cremator. The remains (ashes) are later placed in an urn for disposal. The options for disposal are:

  • Private Disposal

  • Interment or scattering at a garden of remembrance

  • Interment in a columbarium wall

Repatriation


As professional members of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors, we are fully equipped to manage all aspects of repatriation including:

  • Obtaining the necessary documentation in the locality

  • Presenting the documentation to procure permits for the destination country

  • Preparing deceased for relocation

  • Completing all travel arrangements

  • Advising on the costs involved

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries on Repatriation.

  • Support organisations

  • Support websites

  • Leaflets and booklets on grief, support and self-care

If we can assist in any other way please do not hesitate to contact us.

Bereavement Grant / Other Assistance


A Bereavement Grant, is payable on the death of insured workers or their dependents, subject to certain PRSI contribution conditions. We will provide you with the appropriate form or it may be obtained at your local post office. The form should be completed by the next of kin or the personal representative of the deceased and sent together with Death Certificate and Funeral Bill to Pension Services Office, College Road, Sligo Tel: Lo Call 1890 500 000. You should apply within 12 months of the date of death.
A Widowed Parent Grant may also be payable if you are widowed with dependent children.
An Exceptional Needs Payment, administered by the Health Boards on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs, may be available to give financial assistance if you do not have adequate means to pay for the funeral.


Support Services


In addition to ensuring a professional and dignified funeral service we are here to support the bereaved family with information on other resources covering areas such as:

John McGowan & Son Funeral Directors & Funeral Home are here to help you through the grieving process. Contact us by phone or via our contact form.

 24-hours a day