No grave mistake for green coffin graduates
Twelve people have just completed the course and at least two of them will start making coffins full-time.
The course, which was run by the Donegal Local Development Company in Ramelton for the past six months, was arranged by the Green Graveyard Company.
Course tutor, Brendan Farren, from Greencastle, said he has been amazed at how dedicated the students have been.
“We started with 13 pupils and only one person dropped out. But the rest turned up in rain, hail and snow. These people all have one thing in common — they want to learn a new skill and get a job out of it in the end,” he said.
The willow used for the coffins comes from Tipperary while pupils were also encouraged to grow their own patch of willow to use.
Owner of the Green Graveyard Company, Colin McAteer, said that green coffins offer huge potential for employment as the industry grows.
At present just 0.5% of the 50,000 funerals in Ireland each year use green coffins.
But Colin said an increase and awareness of green coffins will offer huge job opportunities.
“The potential is huge.
“People are becoming more environmentally aware and these coffins are all Irish-made.
“They are made to a very high standard and are cheaper than the normal coffin. The demand is getting greater all the time.”
Colin first came across the idea for a green coffin more than a decade ago when a young woman he knew, who later died from leukaemia, wanted to be buried in a cardboard coffin.
“We searched everywhere but just couldn’t get what she was looking for. That always remained with me and then I heard about the idea of making natural coffins using willow. The business is still getting off the ground but the fact that we now have 12 people to make them is a real bonus.”
* greencoffinsireland.com.
