Irish pair guarantee a stately
final farewell
 By Peter Foley
WHEN it comes to marking the major milestones in life there is no race
that can ever match the Irish.
Progressing from Christenings to First Communions, Confirmations and Marriages
— every major occasion is celebrated in style and in a manner that
makes us the envy of every other nation on the planet.
And when the last breath has left the body there is nothing to compare
with an Irish wake and funeral.
It is a tradition that every family likes to see upheld — whether
in the Emerald Isle or in exile.
As people come towards the end of their lives it often becomes a time
to reminisce and recall what happened to the generations that went before
them.
Many Irish men and women can recall the days of the horse-drawn hearse
that took their grandfathers and grandmothers to their final resting place
and several yearn for the same at their own final farewell.
And it is a need that prompted two Wiltshire-based Irishmen to address
the situation and offer a funeral service that embodies the hallmark of
a bygone era when dignity and respect was held uppermost in everyone’s
mind.
George Mugford hails from Ballytore in Kildare — the county that
is perhaps most synonymous with horses in the whole of Ireland.
So it’s no surprise he should offer a funeral service with the famous
trapping of a horse-drawn hearse.
The 63-year-old explained: “A group of us were down the pub after
a funeral and somebody mentioned that it would be nice to see a horse-drawn
hearse carry the remains to the graveyard.
“There seemed to be universal approval to that view and it made
me think that here was something that could address a growing need.”
But you can hardly check out the yellow pages to find a manufacturer of
horse-drawn hearses.
And that’s where 68-year-old Nick Kearns came in.
He has held a love of horses from his time growing up in Carrig on Bannow
in Co. Wexford and joined George in the venture.
The pair finally tracked down a 150-year-old Marsdon funeral carriage
that had virtually been consigned to the scrapyard at a sale and the quest
then began to find a firm capable of restoring it to its former glory.
George said: “Eventually we found a specialist in Lancashire but
a lot of work was needed — spares cannot be got off the shelf. They
have to be built specifically to match the original design.
“It gave me a bit of a headache when I saw the final bill for the
restoration but quality costs money and this venture was not something
for penny-pinchers to be involved with.”
When you add £14,000 for a matching pair of bay Friesian geldings
along with £2,500 to cover tack and clothing for the driver and
groom quite a substantial outlay has been made to launch the enterprise.
Nick said: “The appeal for a sedate and unrushed final journey reflects
the way of the world today where everything is 24/7 and wanted yesterday.
“so the chance to step back to a quieter way of doing things can
be a release valve for the bereaved family.
“And it is something that is not restricted to the Irish —
we’ve also had approaches from people of other nationalities who
want us to carry them to their final resting place when the time comes.”
George and Nick are happy to travel with their hearse anywhere and can
be contacted on 01793 513235.
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