Letterkenny crematorium and funeral home officially opens

Donegal’s first-ever crematorium held its official opening last week.

Michael Morning, a Letterkenny funeral business owner, received planning permission from the Donegal County Council to begin building the crematorium last year.

The facility, located at Mountain Top, is designed to accommodate 500 cremations per annum, which will positively impact families in the area.

Cllr Pauric McGarvey, who attended the opening, welcomed the facility to Letterkenny.

“It was a pleasure to attend the official opening of Lily Hill Funeral Home & Crematorium in Letterkenny this evening,” he said. “What a fantastic facility for Letterkenny and the first in the County, a dignified and peaceful place to celebrate the lives of our loved ones, and to finally have the option of cremation and service on our doorstep is a credit to the Morning Family.

“Well done to Architect Cllr. Paul Canning, Noel Tease and Son Contractors, and La Maison on what is an excellent design, building, and finish! I would like to wish Michael, Eileen and the family all the best in their new venture for the future!”

Cllr Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly also attended the opening, saying: “It was great to attend the official opening of Lily Hill Funeral Home and Crematorium in Letterkenny, the first Crematorium of its kind in Donegal.

“I want to wish Michael, Eileen, & the entire Morning family the very best. It is a massive investment that will help so many by providing an option now for people wishing to be cremated here in Donegal or those who want to hold a wake for a loved one in a fabulous and very thoughtfully laid-out premises.”

The crematorium is the third in Ulster and only the eighth in the entire country.

Before this, families had to travel to crematoriums in Cavan, Clare, Cork, and Dublin to honour their loved ones.