There are three situations in which you may find yourself planning a funeral and hence reading this book: • A loved one has passed away suddenly; • A loved one has been diagnosed as terminally ill; • You wish to pre-plan your own funeral. Despite the fact that human beings have a 100% mortality rate, most people in Ireland act as if even talking about end-of-life planning causes people to die! A funeral is both a beginning and an ending, where the end symbolises that the journey from birth to death has been completed and the beginning symbolises the recovery and renewal process for the loved ones still living. The main purpose of this book is to encourage conversation about death, dying, funerals and loss in Ireland today and, hopefully, to open your minds to the endless possibilities there are when it comes to funerals. It aims to inspire independent individuals to celebrate and take control of the last memory they will leave loved ones.