The Funeral Director (RTE 1)

Icsics · 11-12-2019 11:06pm #1

What an amazing programme, amazing man

larko · 11-12-2019 11:08pm

Fascinating insight into the world of funerals. Happens to us all but I hadn't a clue. I do like how the Irish deal with death.

RioM · 11-12-2019 11:08pm

Icsics wrote: »

What an amazing programme, amazing man

Excellent program. Thought he looked familiar. He's the glamping guy!

The Princess Bride · 11-12-2019 11:21pm

It's a serious business, and very few know anything about it.
Our local undertaker lives a few houses away from me, he's so jovial and friendly, and takes his work seriously.

Jeez look at all that metal!

larko · 11-12-2019 11:22pm

I always wanted to know about cremation. I'm glad I saw that

Andrew00 · 11-12-2019 11:24pm

This is a superb little documentary

Icsics · 11-12-2019 11:25pm

larko wrote: »

I always wanted to know about cremation. I'm glad I saw that

Fascinating viewing & so well explained

FrancieBrady · 11-12-2019 11:25pm

Brilliant stuff.

Mam of 4 · 11-12-2019 11:25pm

Fascinating insight into the parts of a funeral directors job that we normally would never see .
Dougie , very sad , he's very honest , but a good sense of humour .

Icsics · 11-12-2019 11:26pm

He’s giving that man such peace

Mam of 4 · 11-12-2019 11:30pm

So dignified and so respectful .
It's all any of us could ever hope for our loved ones , friends , to be treated .

The Princess Bride · 11-12-2019 11:31pm

It's so lovely to see the absolute respect and dignity he's paying to Dougie.
I hope everyone watches this documentary, it's an eyeopener.

Sittingpretty · 11-12-2019 11:38pm

It’s for programs like this I will continue to pay my TV licence.

Very moving.

I anticipate a lot of complaints though, I’d say liveliness will be on fire tomorrow.

downwesht · 11-12-2019 11:40pm

Everyone should see this programme.6x3 will take us all.....why all the anxiety ,hurry,pressure......enjoy the moment ...well said Dougie!

branie2 · 11-12-2019 11:41pm

It was very good

Snow Garden · 11-12-2019 11:42pm

Superb program.

SafeSurfer · 11-12-2019 11:43pm

What a superb documentary. A compelling story well told. Should win awards. One of the best documentaries I have seen in a long time. Well done to all involved.

harr · 11-12-2019 11:43pm

Very skilled at his craft , how he can transform a body riddled with disease back to what he used to look like is amazing.

FrancieBrady · 11-12-2019 11:45pm

Sensitive, poignant and funny, all of what life is about and book ended by a man who had come to realise what it is about.
The kind of in-depth, serious programme a national broadcaster should be making because it was all about us really. Well done.

alanceltic · 12-12-2019 12:05am

larko wrote: »

I do like how the Irish deal with death.

We are very quick as a nation to dwell on aspects of our culture that is flawed but I couldn't agree more. There's a depth to our warmth towards a loved one, friend, neighbour, stranger who is grieving that warms the soul and restores faith in all that is good about life and death.

We really do know how to celebrate the footprints and memories that a person leaves behind.

Spanish Eyes · 12-12-2019 12:10am

Can be a bit raw for some just the same.

branie2 · 12-12-2019 12:11am

We'll all be looked after by an undertaker when our time comes

mycro2013 · 12-12-2019 12:16am

One of the best documentaries that rte has commissioned in a long time. All issues were dealt with in a compassionate and honest manner.

Spanish Eyes · 12-12-2019 12:17am

branie2 wrote: »

We'll all be looked after by an undertaker when our time comes

Indeed, it is a closed shop amongst a few though. Let's be honest.

Hooked · 12-12-2019 12:19am

Great viewing. Especially the embalming and cremation being shown. David is some man. He's like a counsellor, surgeon and beautician rolled into one..

Shame there's so much red tape surrounding his glamping village... it had so much momentum when Anton Savage was at the wheel in today fm. It's a superb idea.

jos28 · 12-12-2019 12:21am

branie2 wrote: »

We'll all be looked after by an undertaker when our time comes

And if we are really lucky it will be someone like David. Such a gentle, kind, sensitive and professional man. Superb programme, major credit due to all involved. It reminded me somewhat of One Million Dubliners.

Jayisplay · 12-12-2019 12:25am

This sounds interesting but my mam died 2 years ago not sure if I’d be up to watching it.

FrancieBrady · 12-12-2019 12:26am

jos28 wrote: »

And if we are really lucky it will be someone like David. Such a gentle, kind, sensitive and professional man. Superb programme, major credit due to all involved. It reminded me somewhat of One Million Dubliners.

We have both ends of the spectrum...one whose mess-ups are the stuff of local legend and who has the creepy PR tactic of turning up in hospitals to visit the terminally ill and the other who is an absolute professional who treats the job as a vocation. Sadly she was telling me she is burned out and is looking for a way out of it.

Delta2113 · 12-12-2019 12:27am

It has it's problem's but Licence Fee is needed folks.

mycro2013 · 12-12-2019 12:30am

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Indeed, it is a closed shop amongst a few though. Let's be honest.

True, but it's a business which you have to be brought up with. Most funeral directors have been around dead people since there were children and are well accustomed to dealing with all the sensitivity it involves. One of the hardest trades to master as your dealing with the clients loved ones.

glenfieldman · 12-12-2019 12:33am

One of the best programs Ive watched,
I cried like a baby at the last part,

Atlantic Dawn · 12-12-2019 12:46am

Missed it, will watch it later. Have to say as a job is takes real guts to do, I honestly don't know how they hold it together on the day, whether it's the deceased living a great fullfilled life and hitting 80 plus or a much more tragic death of a young person there's so much emotion for the families involved.

glenfieldman · 12-12-2019 12:52am

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Missed it, will watch it later. Have to say as a job is takes real guts to do, I honestly don't know how they hold it together on the day, whether it's the deceased living a great fullfilled life and hitting 80 plus or a much more tragic death of a young person there's so much emotion for the families involved.

Two of his clients on the program were his friends, but Doogie, the American pilot totally hit me emotionally
A very very good doc

Mam of 4 · 12-12-2019 1:05am

Jayisplay wrote: »

This sounds interesting but my mam died 2 years ago not sure if I’d be up to watching it.

I'm sorry for your loss and can understand how you feel .
My Dad died a year ago , and for me it was comforting to see the way David treated the deceased with dignity and respect . All we can hope is that our loved ones were treated in the same manner , I'm sure they were .

Atlantic Dawn · 12-12-2019 1:10am

Mam of 4 wrote: »

I'm sorry for your loss and can understand how you feel .
My Dad died a year ago , and for me it was comforting to see the way he treated the deceased with dignity and respect . All we can hope is that our loved ones were treated in the same manner , I'm sure they were .

Lost a parent some years back and have to say the experience with the undertakers was great, they suggested what should be done and what was the norm but left it up to ourselves how we wanted to proceed. I did find the selection of coffin rather odd though, it was like buying a car they showed you the range in a showroom type operation and you decided, I suppose in hindsight what other way could it be done?

Sausage dog · 12-12-2019 1:16am

A very interesting & informative documentary. Well worth watching.

Mam of 4 · 12-12-2019 1:23am

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Lost a parent some years back and have to say the experience with the undertakers was great, they suggested what should be done and what was the norm but left it up to ourselves how we wanted to proceed. I did find the selection of coffin rather odd though, it was like buying a car they showed you the range in a showroom type operation and you decided, I suppose in hindsight what other way could it be done?

In fairness , the undertakers we used were the same , led the way in making sure all basis were covered . The coffin selecting is odd alright , but I think I'd rather see what the choices are like that , rather than flicking through a brochure or something .
In saying all the above , both my parents knew which coffins they wanted to be buried in , we just had to make sure that happened !

12-12-2019 1:29am

Where can I get a repeat of this, thanks in advance.

NIMAN · 12-12-2019 1:31am

Thought it was very interesting, its a job I always wondered about and what it entailed.
Now I have a better insight into it.

He seems like a very likeable character. Wonder is the glamping experience up and running yet?
Edit: http://www.quirkyglamping.ie/news
News section hasn't been updated in 18 months or more

Its shows like this that we should give RTE some credit for. They do pull off the odd belter, so credit where its due.

Ha Long Bay · 12-12-2019 1:32am

6541 wrote: »

Where can I get a repeat of this, thanks in advance.

https://www.rte.ie/player/movie/the-funeral-director/118399528355

Say Your Number · 12-12-2019 10:25am

It was very good, life affirming and also informative, thought the undertakers job was basically just shaking hands with people, didn't know you'd need a bit of medical knowledge as well, I like how it started with his father buying the pub not knowing he bought the hearse too, and it starting out as this ramshackle service to slick and professional these days.

For all the kicking RTE get around here, they are excellent at producing documentaries, the one last week on the Sunday Game, the one on the LOI team going to Libya and now this one.

Stevieluvsye · 12-12-2019 12:25pm

Brilliant. Best thing i have seen on RTE in years. Very well structured, very informative. Last ten minutes i found sad but lovely at the same time.

If you haven't watched this, be sure to get it on the RTE Player. Trust me

California Dreamer · 12-12-2019 12:57pm

The Casketeers on Netflix is worth a watch if funerals is your thing.

https://www.netflix.com/ie/title/81023023

AMKC · 12-12-2019 1:07pm

That was excellent. Well worth watching. Lovely to see the respect and dignity thatr he gives to the person who has died and there familys too. I recently had an uncle die from a long fight with cancer and he looked so at piece in his coffin so it is comforting to know he was treated with respect for the final journey. Also had an uncle die from a heart attack a while before that and they have alwats been close to me the cousins and his wife as she is on one of my parents side so was also nice to know he also was well looked after. We will all have to deal with this one day if we have not already.

farmchoice · 12-12-2019 2:16pm

i watched it this morning, brilliant brilliant programme. i'm from that part of the world and i know a lot of the people involved.
Death really is something we do well in Ireland and its such a fundamental part of life.

maudgonner · 12-12-2019 3:04pm

Beautiful doc, very brave to tackle subject matter like that in such a direct and simple way.

Well done to Gillian Marsh, fantastic filmmaker based in Crossmolina. And fair play to all the families of the deceased who allowed filming to take place.

Bredabe · 12-12-2019 3:15pm

I've never seen that palm lined grave before, is that local to Sligo only?

BoroMan32 · 12-12-2019 3:43pm

Death is an evocative subject matter and when portrayed in the right manner can make for 'good' television, so to speak. As another poster said there were elements of 'One Million Dubliners' about this; although this one was much more descriptive and informative about the entire funeral process.

Brilliantly made and an excellent watch.

El Weirdo · 12-12-2019 3:45pm

Bredabe wrote: »

I've never seen that palm lined grave before, is that local to Sligo only?

Might be a Mayo thing. That place is right on the border with Mayo, practically in Ballina.

I'm from a few miles down the road (actually where David is from) and I can only ever remember seeing people use greengrocer's grass to dress a grave.

Tigerandahalf · 12-12-2019 3:48pm

Bredabe wrote: »

I've never seen that palm lined grave before, is that local to Sligo only?

Quite common. It goes on the bottom of the grave to cover any lying water that might accrue after the grave is dug. It also covers up the sides where a big rock might have left a hole. It gives a lovely appearance to the grave too. Some graves just seem to have the green carpet on the sides.

Brilliant documentary. It must have been filmed over a couple of years. Clearly a lot of thought and work went into it. Fair play to the production company as has been said. Marsh Productions seem to be behind some of the best tv on rte, Vets on Call would be another of theirs.

harr · 12-12-2019 3:51pm

Bredabe wrote: »

I've never seen that palm lined grave before, is that local to Sligo only?

I have only seen it once before at a funeral in Carlow ...it’s a lovely idea and definitely takes the bare cold look off the grave..a lot more inviting looking than a normal cold grave. Time consuming but definitely goes to show how he tries to make a funeral less daunting for families.
I have seen the fake grass around opening of grave regular enough..

The Funeral Director (RTE 1)

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