<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

<p>When someone dies, a surreal fog often settles in. Yet suddenly, there are dozens of people to notify, decisions to make, and details to manage. It can feel like time stops and speeds up all at once.</p><p>This guide outlines who needs to be informed—both before and after the funeral—and how to manage it without burning out.</p><h3>1. Start with the Closest Circle</h3><p>Begin by calling or speaking in person with immediate family and close friends. From there, delegate where possible. Ask a sibling to tell cousins, a friend to update mutual groups, or a neighbour to spread the word locally. Keep it simple.</p><h3>2. Check for Any Funeral Wishes</h3><p>Before finalising arrangements, check if the person left specific instructions. These might be with a solicitor, a funeral home, or tucked away in a bedside drawer, envelope, or will. You may also find messages on their phone, notes in a notebook, or informal letters to family. These can be incredibly helpful and reassuring when making early decisions.</p><h3>3. Contact the Funeral Director</h3><p>Once the death is confirmed by a GP or hospital, the funeral director becomes your next point of contact. They’ll handle immediate arrangements—transport, care, timing, legal paperwork—and can also arrange for the RIP.ie death notice to go live, if relevant. A good funeral director will gently guide you through the process and help ease the burden.</p><h3>4. Inform the Wider Community</h3><p>This includes extended family, friends, neighbours, and anyone who may want to pay their respects. Think about the people your loved one spoke to regularly: walking groups, book clubs, golf buddies, choir friends, sports teams. A short message in a WhatsApp group often works well. If the person was well-known locally, a public notice or Facebook post might be more appropriate.</p><h3>5. Contact Employers and Schools</h3><p>If the person was working, notify their employer or HR department to begin any necessary processes and ensure any company-wide notice is respectful and accurate. If children are involved, let their school or childcare provider know so they can offer support. If you’re grieving, it’s also okay to keep your own workplace informed—even if you don’t have the words yet.</p><h3>6. Notify the Parish or Celebrant</h3><p>If the funeral will include a religious or spiritual element, contact the relevant priest, celebrant, or officiant early. Their availability may influence the date and format of the ceremony. Your funeral director can assist with this. If the officiant didn’t know your loved one well, they may ask for a few words or anecdotes—take your time gathering them.</p><h3>7. After the Funeral: Banks, Benefits and Beyond</h3><p>Once the funeral is over, a second wave of notifications begins. It’s okay to do this gradually. Keep a notebook or checklist so nothing slips through the cracks. Typical contacts include:</p><ul><li>Banks and credit unions</li><li>Revenue and Department of Social Protection</li><li>Utility companies (electricity, gas, broadband, etc.)</li><li>Insurance providers (home, car, health, life, travel)</li><li>Loan and mortgage companies</li><li>Subscriptions and memberships</li><li>Pharmacy and GP</li><li>Landlords or tenants (if relevant)</li><li>Credit card companies</li><li>Pension or private retirement schemes</li></ul><p>Some may request a death certificate or will, but many accept an email to start the process.</p><h3>8. Digital Presence</h3><p>It’s increasingly common to memorialise or delete social media accounts. Some families keep a Facebook page active for memories, while others prefer to close it quickly. Check their phone and inbox for any online services or platforms they used—Amazon, Spotify, cloud storage, and more.</p><h3>9. Keep a Record</h3><p>Create a simple spreadsheet or jot things down in a notebook. Note who you’ve told, who’s yet to hear, and what actions still need follow-up. It helps you stay organised and avoids the awkwardness of someone finding out later than you'd have liked.</p><h3>10. Don’t Try to Do It All at Once</h3><p>This isn’t a race. Take it step by step, ask for help, and remember there’s no ‘perfect’ way to do this. Some notifications will fall through the cracks—and that’s okay. You’re doing your best.</p><p>You won’t remember everyone straight away, and that’s okay too. Start with the essentials and work through it bit by bit. People understand. The most important thing is to look after yourself and your loved ones.</p>

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Who Do I Need to Tell When Someone Dies?

<h3>Publish a Death Notice for a Funeral Abroad</h3><p>If a loved one dies abroad and no Irish-based funeral director is involved, RIP.ie can still publish the death notice for you.</p><p>To do so, we require proof that the death has occurred before the notice can be published. Accepted forms of proof include:</p><ul><li>A copy of the death certificate</li><li>A copy of the cremation certificate</li><li>A link to the notice on the funeral director’s website</li><li>An email from the funeral director abroad confirming they are handling the arrangements</li></ul><h3>Admin Fee</h3><p>There is an administration fee of €100 (incl. VAT) for notices where the funeral is not being arranged by an Irish-based funeral director.</p><h3>How to Submit a Death Notice</h3><p>To proceed with publishing the notice:</p><ol><li>Send proof of death, the wording for the notice, and a photo to info@rip.ie</li><li>Once verified, we will send you an invoice which can be paid online</li><li>Upon receipt of payment, the notice will be published and a link sent to you</li></ol><h3>Important Note</h3><p>All death notices published on RIP.ie must be associated with a county in Ireland, even if the funeral is taking place abroad.</p>

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How to Publish a Death Notice for a Funeral Abroad on RIP.ie

<p>On the RIP.ie homepage, you have several options to help you locate the death notice you're looking for:</p><figure class="image"><img src="https://img-dedicated.rip.ie/NEW_SITE_Search_Death_Notices_5a0cff5a40bfb91ed03917fc1a42531204733a9659d804b6.png" /></figure><h3>Search by Surname</h3><p>If you only know the surname of the deceased, enter it into the <strong>"Surname"</strong> field and click <strong>"Search"</strong>. This will return all notices matching that surname published in the last 7 days. You can adjust the <strong>"From"</strong> and <strong>"To"</strong> dates as needed.</p><h3>Search by Surname and County</h3><p>If you know both the surname and the county, enter them into the relevant fields and click <strong>"Search"</strong>. This will return all notices matching that surname in the selected county, published in the last 7 days. Again, you can change the date range as necessary.</p><h3>Search by Date Range</h3><p>If you're looking for a specific notice published during a particular time period, enter the information you know—such as surname and county—then select the date range using the <strong>"From"</strong> and <strong>"To"</strong> calendars.<br />For example, to find notices for the surname “Jones” in County Dublin between January 1st, 2020 and September 12th, 2020, enter those details and click <strong>"Search"</strong>.</p><figure class="image"><img src="https://img-dedicated.rip.ie/NEW_SITE_Search_Death_Notices_4_f7d57a5e3b0025f8148c6069a5d4adadb53618eea2c110cc.png" /></figure><h3>Bookmark Regular Searches</h3><p>You can bookmark pages you visit most often, such as death notices in your county. For example, if you're interested only in notices from County Kilkenny, select <strong>Kilkenny</strong> from the <strong>County</strong> dropdown menu and click <strong>"Search"</strong>. Then bookmark the results page in your browser for easy access next time.</p><figure class="image"><img src="https://img-dedicated.rip.ie/NEW_SITE_Search_Death_Notices_3_cd0e75d1e9287d1b5b628135d3baa4c13cce40cd0934b93e.png" /></figure><h3>Use the "Death Notices" Tab</h3><p>Clicking the <strong>"Death Notices"</strong> tab on the homepage brings you to a list of <strong>Recently Published Notices</strong>—including those published today and yesterday, as well as some for ongoing funerals. This page also includes the same search options as the homepage.</p>

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How to Find a Specific Death Notice on RIP.ie

<h3>Registering a Death in Ireland</h3><p>It is a legal requirement in Ireland that every death occurring in the State must be recorded and registered. Death records are held by the General Register Office, which is the central civil repository for births, marriages and deaths.</p><p>You can register a death with any Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths, regardless of where the death occurred. Registration should happen as soon as possible, and no later than three months after the death.</p><h3>Who Can Register a Death?</h3><p>The death is usually registered by the next of kin, but it may also be registered by:</p><ul><li>Someone present at the death or during the final illness</li><li>A near neighbour</li><li>The undertaker</li><li>A hospital official</li><li>A person who found or took charge of the body</li><li>A personal representative of the deceased</li><li>Anyone with knowledge of the death and the required details</li></ul><h3>How to Register a Death</h3><p>To register a death, you must:</p><ol><li>Obtain a Death Notification Form from the doctor who attended the deceased.</li><li>Complete Part 2 of the form with personal details.</li><li>Bring the form and photo ID to any civil registration office.</li><li>Sign the Register in the presence of the Registrar.</li></ol><p>There is no charge to register a death.</p><h3>If the Cause of Death Is Unclear</h3><p>A doctor cannot issue a Death Notification Form if:</p><ul><li>They did not see the deceased in the month before death</li><li>They are unsure of the cause of death</li></ul><p>In these cases, the death must be reported to the Coroner, who may order a post-mortem or inquest. The Coroner will then issue a certificate to the Registrar to complete the registration.</p><p>If there is a delay due to a post-mortem, you can request an Interim Certificate of the Fact of Death from the Coroner to notify institutions like banks or the Department of Social Protection.</p><h3>Death Certificate Fees</h3><p>While registration is free, fees apply for copies of the death certificate:</p><ul><li>€20 for a full standard certificate</li><li>€5 for an uncertified copy of an entry in the Register</li><li>€10 for an authenticated certificate (only from the General Register Office)</li><li>Free if the deceased was under 1 year old and the certificate is requested at the time of registration</li></ul><p>You do not need to apply for a certificate for social welfare purposes—the Department of Social Protection will access the information directly.</p><h3>Where to Apply</h3><p>You can register a death or apply for a certificate:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth-family-relationships/getting-birth-marriage-or-death-certificate/">Online</a></li><li>In person at any civil registration office</li><li>By phone</li><li>By email with a completed form to: GROonlinepayments@welfare.ie</li></ul><p>For late registrations (more than 12 months after death), contact:</p><p>General Register Office<br />Government Offices<br />Convent Road<br />Roscommon F42 VX53<br />Ireland<br />Tel: +353 90 663 2900<br />Fax: +353 90 663 2999<br />Website: www.gov.ie/gro<br />Email: gro@welfare.ie<br /><a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/death/practical-arrangements-after-a-death/registering-a-death/">[citizensinformation.ie]</a></p>

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Registering a Death in Ireland – Step-by-Step Guide

<h3>Publish a Death Notice</h3><p>To publish a death notice on RIP.ie, simply ask your funeral director to do so. This is a free service for bereaved families, and all funeral directors in Ireland have secure access to RIP.ie for publishing notices related to funerals they are undertaking.</p><h2>Funerals Abroad</h2><p>If the funeral is taking place outside Ireland, the family can contact RIP.ie directly. We will liaise with the funeral director abroad to verify the details and arrange publication.</p><h3>Notices Must Be Submitted by Funeral Directors</h3><p>Due to the sensitive nature of the information published on RIP.ie:</p><ul><li>We cannot accept notices directly from the public</li><li>We cannot make changes to a notice once published—only the funeral director who submitted it can request edits</li></ul><p>The only way to guarantee that a notice appears on RIP.ie is for the funeral director to publish it.</p><h3>Searching Death Notices</h3><p>All notices published on RIP.ie are archived and searchable. You can find a notice by entering:</p><ul><li>Surname</li><li>County</li><li>Town</li><li>Date range</li></ul><p>Our archive dates back to July 2006, and the only information available is what is published on the site.</p>

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How to Publish a Death Notice on RIP.ie

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Topic: Death Notification