Company to decide on future of Athy base

AN ATHY based business that has been granted planning permission for a new funeral training centre to be built behind a Carlow-based funeral home expects to make a decision on its Athy future “towards the middle of the year”, according to its Director Cyril Gantley.

Mortuary Science Ireland, based in the Woodstock Enterprise Centre, will build the new training centre behind the Burke McDermott Funeral Home in Carlow.

This will consist of a 211sqm, single-storey building for two or three students at a time in funeral preparation.

“At the moment we’re not sure,” said Mr Gantley when asked about their plans to stay in Athy.

“Most of our business comes nationally, to be honest, but the brunt of our work is in Carlow,” he said of his business that has been in Athy for 22 years.

“We’ll wait until Carlow gets built, and would make a decision a few weeks after that.

“A lot of our work is predominantly care of the deceased, but the burial is between the families and the funeral director, but we’d generally work alongside the funeral directors”.

MSI who will occupy the new Carlow site, submitted the application for the development on 13 July 2025.

Director of the company Cyril Gantley explained that they work with the British Institute of Embalmers, which offers the only worldwide qualification in the industry.

Mortuary Science Ireland offers a three-year diploma course, which involves academic and practical elements, and teaches a maximum of 10 or 11 students at a time to ensure they get the teachers’ “undivided attention”, said Mr Gantley.

Funeral services is an unregulated industry, he noted, and demand for accredited services has come from within the industry, from insurance companies and countries during repatriation arrangements.

Mr Gantley has operated Mortuary Science Ireland out of Athy with the other director Susan Moran, since 2004, saying: “it’s just the two of us”.

The firm believe they have grown out of their current training centre in Athy and the “opportunity to team up with Charles McDermott” arose in Carlow.

Mr Gantley and Ms Moran are “over the moon” to have permission approved.

Mr Gantley said: “The whole positioning around the centre is fantastic,” with the train station across the road making it an accessible location for students.

Burke McDermott, the existing funeral home, will remain operating as usual, and the new training centre will be open between 10.30am to 7.30pm, Monday to Friday. 

The permission granted by the council was subject to 14 conditions, relating to parking and traffic, environmental preservation and protection of the unique character of the site.