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Putting a price on death - the cost of a funeral in Ireland by county
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Putting a price on death - the cost of a funeral in Ireland by county

IT'S a subject none of us like to think about but a new survey shows that, in many instances, where you're from in Ireland determines the likely costs of your death and burial.

Research for the poll, undertaken by Post Insurance -  an insurance providers and subsidiary of Ireland's postal service An Post - was undertaken between July 26 and August 5, 2016.

A total of 296 members of The Irish Funeral Directors Association were approached with responses received from 84 members.

Only counties with enough information provided were included in the county-by-county breakdown below.

Here's what the Funeral Price Index revealed...

The standard funeral cost is €4,062.

This covers removal and care of the deceased, embalming, removal to church/cemetery, hearse, funeral directors fee and coffin but excludes items such as a church offering, priest, music, obituary notice and the cost of a burial plot or cremation service.

Average cost of a standard funeral - county breakdown:

Clare: €5,000

Sligo: €5,000

Wicklow: €4,883

Tipperary: €4,772

Laois: €4,500

Waterford: €4,160

Mayo: €4,350

Meath: €3,900

Galway: €3,860

Dublin: €3,845

Cork: €3,804

Limerick: €3,791

Cavan: €3,575

Kerry: €3,550

Monaghan: €3,500

Down: €3,500

Wexford: €3,408

Average cost of a standard coffin - county breakdown:

The cost of a coffin can make a difference to the final funeral bill.

The cost of a coffin can make a difference to the final funeral bill. What’s described as a standard coffin is most affordable in Waterford at €1,177 and most expensive in Kerry and Laois - each costing €2,000.

Laois: €2,000

Kerry: €2,000

Dublin: €1,750

Galway: €1,683

Tipperary: €1,650

Wexford: €1,500

Mayo: €1,500

Cork: €1,399

Limerick: €1,338

Kerry: €1,215

Clare: €1,200

Waterford: €1,100

Average cost of a burial plot - county breakdown:

A nationwide high cost of €32,000 was quoted for a double plot at a graveyard in Deansgrange Dublin -  the same sized plot in Shanganagh, Dublin was quoted at €5,600.

The average cost of a plot is €1,908.

Dublin: €11,766

Cork: €1,575

Galway: €1,258

Waterford: €1,113

Kerry: €900

Limerick: €880

Tipperary: €717

Laois: €800

Mayo: €800

Tipperary: €717

Wexford: €650

Clare: €525

Average cost of disbursements  - county breakdown: 

These include costs for everything from a church offering, priest, sacristan, singer, organist, flowers, obituary notice, radio, doctors and coroners fee.

Laois: €1,440

Galway: €1,242

Dublin: €1,177

Mayo: €1,098

Kerry: €985

Waterford: €951

Tipperary: €819

Cork: €818

Clare: €720

Limerick: €573

Kerry: €470

The cost of cremation:

Cremation costs were highest in Cork at €770, behind Dublin at €682 - with the lowest in Galway at €527.