“Competence and compassion are the hallmarks of our work.”
ABOUT US
Dara O’Shea and Louise O’Brien have more than 30 years’ event management experience between them, managing international, national and local events in Cork city, including many memorial events for families and organisations.
From personal experience, they understand how difficult it is to plan such an important occasion for a loved one at a time of extreme sadness and loss. Dara and Louise understand how even the smallest detail can play an important role in a funeral or memorial event. They have the expertise to work with each client or family to design and deliver a funeral or memorial event that best honours, and indeed celebrates, their loved one ensuring every detail and task is seen to and that everything runs smoothly over the course of the funeral days.
Having designed, developed and delivered posthumous graduation experiences to honour many university students who passed away before their studies had been completed, Dara and Louise are keenly aware how their combination of professional expertise and personal skills in delivering a well-crafted, meaningful ceremony can sensitively impact the grieving experience.
Louise has a Bachelor’s degree in Music and a Masters in Arts and Heritage Management, while Dara has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing with the Marketing Institute of Ireland and a qualification in Business Studies. Both are undertaking education in working with bereaved people and continue to pursue their specialist training in this area.
“Thank you, Louise and Dara, for all your help when my husband died. I was so glad you were with me and able to guide me through the preparations for his funeral. It was a great comfort to me that he would have especially enjoyed the music choices and performances so much; it made it all the more personal and memorable for my family and me.”
“I worked closely with Louise in the planning of several posthumous graduation ceremonies. She deeply impressed me with the sympathetic, gentle and professional way that she approached each unique event, providing an important source of solace to those involved.”
RHEA helped our family to organise a memorial for our daughter Arwen , who we lost at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Louise and Dara supported us every step of the way and had many suggestions in how we could make the memorial special and unique. They had a genuine interest in getting to know who Arwen was to ensure that her spirit embodied the event itself. RHEA showed sensitivity, compassion, professionalism, organisation and attention to detail. They were there on the day to guide us through the memorial meaning we could be truly present (and less stressed) knowing that the logistics were in their safe hands. We will be forever grateful to Dara and Louise for taking such good care of us and helping us create an incredibly special event that we will always treasure.
“I worked closely with Louise in the planning of several posthumous graduation ceremonies. She deeply impressed me with the sympathetic, gentle and professional way that she approached each unique event, providing an important source of solace to those involved.”
DARA O’SHEA
LOUISE O’BRIEN
What does RHEA mean? Rhea was the Greek goddess associated with comfort and ease. The human need for comfort and ease is universal to all who find themselves engaged with preparing for a funeral event, regardless and inclusive of all belief systems and none. To provide comfort and ease to our client families at this critical time is our mission at RHEA Funeral and Memorial Events.