A live funeral streaming company has been inundated with requests to cover funerals for families who cannot attend their loved ones' final journey due to lockdown restrictions introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Memorial Lane has been providing “television quality” and “live” footage of funerals and other events for the past five years.
Since the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the Dublin-based firm has seen increased requests from people that have suddenly had to contend with the additional trauma of not being able to attend their loved one's funeral.
Managing Director, Mick Neville, a former Director of Operations and Head of Cameras at TV3 Television Ireland, said: “It’s for those who can’t make it to the funeral and they want more than a bad quality webcam feed.
“The difference is the live element; People do feel closer to the ceremony when it’s live, when they are watching it happening as its happening, and they feel more a part of the service.”
“Because we have equipment we also use for working on television projects, we are able to provide a professional broadcast quality stream of the funeral. Some people want us to cover burial and cremation as well.”
Prior to the arrival of the virus, the father of three was “getting a couple of calls a month”, for the service, however in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, he is taking “a couple of enquiries a day from undertakers”.
He added: “Obviously, since the restrictions came in, it has become more of a need for people. We have done a number of funerals where there have been no attendees whatsoever, just a priest and the coffin in a crematorium.”
Mourners who can’t attend their loved one’s funeral access the service via Memorial Lane’s website and are given a password to view the live satellite feed. Close family members can also leave the link open to the public or invite only close neighbours and friends to watch.
Prior to the funeral, family members are given the option of pre-recording their own personal tributes and mass readings, which are introduced during the funeral service by the officiating priest and played via a screen in the church.
Relatives of the deceased are also provided with a recording of the funeral.
