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<p><i>This article is one of a series, and while it can be read on its own, is designed to be read along with the articles “</i><a href="https://rip.ie/legal-and-financial-advice/what-should-you-consider-when-making-a-will-257"><i>What Should You Consider When Making A Will?</i></a><i>” and “</i><a href="https://rip.ie/legal-and-financial-advice/what-happens-if-you-dont-make-a-will-258"><i>What Happens If You Don’t Make A Will?</i></a><i>” </i></p><h3>Introduction</h3><p>A will is a written document that lets you decide what happens to your property and assets in the event of your death. A will can also set out who should take care of young children. Importantly, it also stipulates who will manage your affairs after your death. It can be a difficult topic to think about, or discuss, but it is crucial, especially if you have young children. </p><p><span style="color:#1F1F1F">If you die without a will, you won’t have a say in who receives your property and other assets (including your pets). You won’t have a say in who manages your estate. If you have children, you miss out on the opportunity to nominate a trusted, responsible guardian for them. Not having a will can make it more difficult for your loved ones after you pass away.</span></p><p><span style="color:#1F1F1F">Wills aren’t just for the sick or elderly - in fact, every adult should consider making one. </span></p><h3>Who Gets What?</h3><p>You are the person best to decide how you want to divide your money and assets. Remember, nobody knows your wishes and your family as well as you do. </p><p>Firstly, you should think about how you would like to divide your money and assets. You should have a good idea about what you own, either in your sole name or jointly with your spouse or civil partner. You should think about what you would be leaving behind and who you want it to go to.</p><p>There are legal protections for your spouse, or civil partner, and your children, but most people provide for their family as fairly as possible in their will. Partners outside marriage are not protected to the same extent. </p><p>Your spouse, or civil partner, has a legal right to a share in your estate: one third if you have children and one half if you don’t have children. If you are separated or divorced, the Court should have dealt with this. </p><p>When it comes to your children, you should consider their ages; their education; any financial support you previously provided; what they now own; and their line of work. </p><p>In some cases, the older and wealthier they are, the less help they may need. Your children are not entitled to a fixed share like a spouse or civil partner, but they can apply to Court if not properly provided for by what the law describes as a “just and prudent parent.”</p><p>Many wills made by married couples leave everything to each other with a “gift over” clause/option, which states that if the other spouse also dies, all property goes to the children. If the children are very young, the “gift over” clause/option ensures everything goes to trustees to mind the assets for young children.</p><h3>Who Handles This?</h3><p>The person who takes care of your affairs in the event of your death is called your Executor or Executrix. This can be a very demanding and emotional role. You can appoint more than one. You should let them know beforehand that you will be assigning them this role, and where they can find your will, should anything happen to you. </p><p>If you are leaving property to young children, as stated above, you might think about including a trust for those children, and appointing Trustees to manage any money or assets left for them while they are under 18, or even slightly older. </p><p>A trust is where people called Trustees hold the assets “in trust” for the benefit of the children until the children reach 18, which is when they can own the property.  You might also think about appointing Guardians, who would take over your role in raising the children until they turn 18.</p><p>In the event of one parent’s death, the surviving parent is automatically assigned as guardian, but if both parents were to die –in a car crash for example –  someone has to be appointed to mind them. This is a very difficult, but important decision to make, and should be considered carefully.</p><h3>Summary</h3><p>People, especially those with young children, should think about making a will to provide for their loved ones in the event of their death. They should think about dividing their assets fairly, taking their spouse’s rights into account, picking the right person to manage their affairs on death, if a trust is to be created, and who is to mind their young children. </p><p><strong>Padraic Courtney is a Solicitor and Secretary to the Probate, Administration &amp; Trusts Committee of the </strong><a href="https://www.lawsociety.ie/"><strong>Law Society of Ireland</strong></a><strong>. </strong></p><p><i>Disclaimer: Please note that this article is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be legal advice. While every care has been taken in its production, no legal responsibility or liability is accepted warranted or implied by the author, publishers or the Law Society of Ireland in respect of any errors, omissions or misstatement. Readers are advised to seek independent professional legal advice before acting on anything in this article. </i></p>

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Why Make a Will?

<h2>When Someone Dies in Ireland</h2><p>Death is one of life’s most difficult experiences, and it often comes with many decisions that must be made quickly and under emotional stress. Whether the death was expected or sudden, this guide outlines the key steps to take and highlights support services available in Ireland.</p><h2>Immediately Following the Death</h2><p>Every death in Ireland must be identified and the cause of death established. If the death was sudden or unexpected, you may need to notify:</p><ul><li>The Gardaí</li><li>The Coroner</li><li>The family doctor (GP)</li><li><a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth-family-relationships/getting-birth-marriage-or-death-certificate/">The Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths</a></li><li>The next of kin</li></ul><p>If the deceased was an organ donor, act quickly if you are their nearest relative.<br />Funeral directors in Ireland can assist with all arrangements, including burial plots, cremation, and religious or non-religious services.</p><h2>Registering the Death</h2><p>To register a death, bring a medical certificate stating the cause of death to the local Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths.</p><p>If the doctor did not see the deceased within 28 days or is unsure of the cause of death, they must notify the Coroner. A post-mortem may be required, and if the cause remains unclear, an inquest may be held.</p><p>For stillborn children, registration is optional but may be done within 42 days.<br />Read more about registering a death on <a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth-family-relationships/getting-birth-marriage-or-death-certificate/">citizensinformation.ie</a>.</p><h2>Children</h2><p>Bereavement can be deeply distressing for children. Barnardos offers <a href="https://www.barnardos.ie/our-services/work-with-families/bereavement-services/">counselling services </a>for children who have lost someone close to them.</p><p>If the deceased leaves behind orphaned children under 18, immediate care arrangements must be made. Family members usually step in, but if none are available, the HSE Local Health Office will arrange care.</p><h2>Access to Money</h2><p>Accessing the deceased’s money can be difficult unless it’s in a joint account. If the account is solely in the deceased’s name, probate is usually required.</p><p>You may be eligible for social welfare benefits or grants to help with funeral costs.<br />For financial advice, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service <a href="https://www.mabs.ie/en/">(MABS)</a> offers free, confidential support.</p><h2>Legal Issues Following a Death</h2><p>Legal matters may include:</p><ul><li>Access to the deceased’s estate</li><li>Probate and executor duties</li><li>Power of attorney</li><li>Debt management</li><li>Inheritance rights</li></ul><h2>Housing and Daily Living</h2><p>Notify relevant organisations in writing, including:</p><ul><li>Mortgage providers or landlords</li><li>Banks and building societies</li><li>Insurance companies</li><li>Utility providers</li><li>Subscription services</li><li>Local authority (for driving licence and electoral register updates)</li></ul><p>Redirect post if the deceased lived alone, and inform any clubs or professional organisations they were part of.</p>

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What to Do When Someone Dies in Ireland – Practical Guidance

<h3>The Silent Grief of Fathers</h3><p>When a baby dies, the world often looks to the mother. People ask how she is, how she’s coping, what she needs. And while her grief is immense and deserves every bit of care, it can sometimes leave dads standing quietly in the background—hurting, but unseen.</p><p>If you’re a dad who has lost a baby, please know this: your grief matters too.</p><h3>Your Loss Is Real and Heavy</h3><p>You had all the hopes and dreams. You imagined what life would be like with your child. That loss is real, and it is heavy.</p><p>Many dads feel pressure to “be strong”—to hold everything together, to take care of their partner, to sort out the practical things no one else can face. But strength doesn’t mean pushing down your pain. You are allowed to grieve in your own way.</p><h3>There’s No Right Way to Grieve</h3><p>Some dads cry. Some need to talk. Others find comfort in keeping busy or channeling their energy into something meaningful. All of this is okay. Whatever way you manage your loss—whatever works for you—is exactly how you are meant to be. There is no right or wrong way to process grief.</p><h3>Grieving Differently Doesn’t Mean Grieving Less</h3><p>We often say grief is like a rollercoaster. You may be on the same ride, but you and your partner are in different carriages. This is perfectly okay. It’s important to know that everyone grieves differently. One person may find it difficult to get out of bed, while the other goes to work and carries on as normal. This doesn’t mean they care less or feel the loss any less deeply.</p><h3>Feeling Invisible or Guilty Is Common</h3><p>You might feel invisible at times, or even guilty for the way you’re coping. Maybe people don’t ask how you are. Maybe you don’t know how to put your feelings into words. That doesn’t make your grief any less real.</p><h3>You Don’t Have to Go Through This Alone</h3><p>There is no right way to do this. You don’t have to hide, and you don’t have to go through it alone. If you can, talk to someone you trust—a friend, a family member, or another dad who has experienced loss. Sharing even a little of what you’re carrying can lift some of the weight.</p><p>There are support groups specifically for dads, and you may feel more comfortable in that space.</p><h3>Honouring Your Baby and Your Healing</h3><p>Most of all, remember this: being a grieving dad doesn’t mean being silent or strong all the time.</p><p>It means loving your baby in the only way you can now—by carrying their memory with you, by allowing yourself to feel, and by honouring your own healing too.</p><h3>You Are Not Alone</h3><p>Your grief is valid.</p><p>Your baby will always matter.</p>

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When a Baby Dies: Supporting Grieving Dads Through Loss

<h3>Trusting the Grief Process</h3><p>When a death happens to someone we love, whether expected or unexpected, our sense of safety and belonging is rattled. In the place where trust once resided, a rolling and encompassing wave of fear can knock security out of our bones and take an uninvited front seat in our mind and body.</p><p>This fear can create uncertainty, panic, doubt, and mistrust in ourselves. It can beg us to fall to our knees, as the person we once were surrenders to the earth and begins to try to understand how this once strong, capable, and confident self has been transformed—without will—dragged and catapulted into a wave of confusion, bewilderment, and disorientation.</p><h3>The Questions That Haunt Us</h3><p>How can we trust in this process?<br />How does any of this make sense?<br />It is not fair.</p><p>Why are we left behind to try to find some meaning in our deep sadness, while yearning for the life we once knew—where we lived vicariously, free of grief, and without this hollow sorrow?</p><h3>Grief Is Both Full and Empty</h3><p>The grief that is felt is both full and empty. It is tinged with melancholy, flashed with regret, woes, and worry. The grief process can throw us into a spinning wheel of fear and discomfort. It is felt wholly within the crevices of our bones and our being.</p><p>How can we trust this?<br />How does this make sense?</p><h3>You Are Human—And Your Reaction Is Normal</h3><p>We can trust this by knowing that we are human. These visceral reactions to the death of a loved one are normal parts of the grieving process. There is no one way to grieve. There are no tick-the-box answers or exercises.</p><p>So many of you reading this article today are looking for answers—how to fix this feeling, how to transform despair into trust and love again. The first thing you need to know is: your reaction is normal. The second is: what encourages one person to heal may not work for another.</p><h3>Grief Is Not Linear</h3><p>Healing our grief is not linear. It is complicated. It depends on your relationship with the person, your beliefs, values, faith, personality, coping mechanisms, core beliefs, and your family of origin.</p><p>It starts with you. This process is yours.</p><p>You can take inspiration along your journey of grief from other people. However, if something isn’t working for you, it doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. It simply means that, in this moment, it’s not what you need. This can change depending on where you are on your pilgrimage of grief.</p><h3>When Grief Feels Unbearable</h3><p>I can tell you that if I had read one of my own articles when I was in the thick of grief after losing my third sibling, I might have thrown the phone or laptop at the wall in anger—feeling invisible, misunderstood, destabilised, and scared.</p><p>I would have wanted to shout from the rooftops:</p><blockquote><p><br />“They don't get it! They haven’t a f*ing clue what I’m going through!”</p></blockquote><p>This passed. Slowly, but it did pass. I began to trust and realise that this reaction was showing me my anger and frustration. That this needed to be sat with and acknowledged compassionately.</p><p>Of course I was angry. I had to learn that anger and frustration made sense.</p><h3>Grief Comes in Layers</h3><p>All parts of your grieving process will show up when they are ready. There are layers. Some are more difficult than others. There is no need to force this.</p><p>It is hard to trust this, especially when your faith in the universe has been pulled from the soles of your feet and the ground beneath you has been shaken.</p><h3>Rebuilding Your Foundation</h3><p>And know this: it is here that you will build the foundation of your delicate yet dynamic whole being. The being that has been cracked open—and through learning to trust yourself again—you will begin to look back and notice just how far you’ve come in your growth, compassion, and changing relationship with grief.</p><h3>An Invitation, Not a Prescription</h3><p>As always, remember that my writing is here just as an invitation. There is no right or wrong. Depending on your personality, attachments, beliefs, and values, this may land with you—or it may not. Take what you want and leave the rest behind.</p><h3>Grief Takes Time</h3><p>When you are ready, the right word, article, song, or poem will show up for you. Take your time with your grief. It is not a race. It is a sacred piece of you that seeks time to be honoured, sat with, and seen.</p><p>Taking time to be with your grief will empower you to trust the process—and most importantly, to trust yourself again.</p>

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