Among the many hardships of the Covid-19 pandemic is how it has diminished the traditions and rituals that we use to say goodbye to our loved ones when they pass away.
No matter the cause of death, current government restrictions mean that funerals must be private and limited to a maximum of 10 people - taking away the opportunities for collective mourning that are a central part of our culture. "It's an awful, awful thing when you know in your heart and soul there are 20 close relatives and you have to tell people to exclude 10," James Harnett, an undertaker in Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, told Prime Time.
The restrictions, Mr Harnett believes, will leave a lasting imprint on families. "You were excluded from your sister's funeral and your