The painful experience of a Dublin resident, Sean Fox, who tragically discovered metal fragments within his father’s ashes following an unsuccessful cremation, has been brought to light. His father, Johnny Fox, well-known as a respected athletics coach and the creator of the charity, Darkness Into Light, passed away in April. He was cremated at Newland’s Cross Crematorium as per his last wishes.
Sean Fox has been vocal about the distressing event, stating this might avert other families from experiencing a similar incident, and could enable those affected to file formal complaints. He urges an increase in the oversight of this industry. Some of Johnny Fox’s ashes were meant to be scattered on the mountains where he used to coach, while another part was to be buried with his wife in due time.
The family had also planned to use a small quantity of the ashes in keepsake lockets. However, Sean was shocked to find large bone fragments mingled with metal screws, washers, and staples while gathering small ash fragments for the lockets.
As he recounted the ordeal, the pain and horror in his voice were palpable. He regretfully recalls having to sort through his father’s ashes—an act he believes was disrespectful—and predicts the memory will haunt him forever. Upon connecting with the crematorium, he discovered there had been a malfunction with the machine, requiring a second use of it, which could explain the presence of the metal. However, Sean questions the manual check that should have been able to spot the error, and why metal-detecting magnets didn’t function as they ought to have.
The absence of regulation showed no regard for the grieving procedure completely, with bereaved families left with no one to lean on. If an agency was available, families could have confidence that the end-of-life services would be decent, honourable, and filled with compassion.
In replying to this, the Dublin Cemeteries Trust deeply regretted the emotional strain and distress this situation had inflicted on the Fox family during their sorrowful period. Throughout numerous meetings and exchanges, we’ve wholeheartedly apologised to the family, offered our sincere condolences, and made a monetary contribution to their family charity.
The Trust further affirmed that it advised the funeral directors to overlook the cost of cremation. “We have meticulously evaluated our techniques and safety measures to prevent this from happening again. This incident is very unfortunate and highly irregular. We consistently aim to uphold best practices. For us, maintaining the dignity of the departed is crucial.”
Former Member of Parliament, Tommy Broughan, criticised the deficit of management regarding the inauguration and running of crematoriums. As part of the Labour Party in 2012, he made an unsuccessful attempt to pass a law aiming at creating a regulatory body.
He trusted the Dublin Cemetery Trust yet highlighted the lack of a supervisory body left Mr Fox and others distressed with nowhere to turn when calamities occurred. “There’s been such a gap in Irish legislation regarding life and death, one of the most vital aspects, and it needs to be included in any governmental programme.”