# McCool's funeral parlour, Co. Donegal, Ireland - July 2009



## lost (Jul 18, 2009)

Thanks to 'resigirl' on flickr who gave me directions to this place, I'd never have found it otherwise!






Opel Rekord hearse





Back room

























1948 Dodge hearse. Sorry about the shonky photos, but I was really struggling with the glare and the miserable weather










Mercedes W123 hearse. It stank really badly inside, not just an 'abandoned car' smell





Coffin store





Trolley





Coffin workshop





Shrine

I went back the next day to look at the attached shop. Unfortunately I couldn't quite fit inside, so had to make do with taking rubbish shots through the window











As you can see, the shelves are still stocked and some of the food items apparently have sell-by dates over 30 years old. Quite eerie


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## banshee (Jul 18, 2009)

it's mad how stuff can stay untouched for so long !! that dodge looks great,what could that smell be ?:arghh:


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## oldscrote (Jul 19, 2009)

How cool is this man{somebody had to say it} love the dodge hearse what a great car to do the shopping in.I can;t believe the site is 30 years out of use and not been trashed,robbed,or turned into a heritage centre.


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## RichardB (Jul 19, 2009)

I can't believe they left the door handles on that Merc. It must have been pretty new if the place has been empty for 30 years. 

Do you know how it came to be abandoned or why it's been left alone for so long?


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## lost (Jul 19, 2009)

I think it's just the shop part of it that's been abandoned for 30 years. The latest date I could find in the rest of the place was 1996, which seems about right.


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## djrich (Jul 19, 2009)

Wow! Excellent place this, would love to see more of that shop.


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## resigirl (Jul 19, 2009)

*Cool Shots!*

Great shots dude. Glad u had a cool time. This place is sooo creepy!!


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## lost (Jul 20, 2009)

Hey welcome along, you should add some of your shots here, I am gutted I didn't get into the shop!


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## Gorecki (Jul 20, 2009)

oooooh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I remember seeing the girls pictures on flickr this place looks ACE! I tell theee. 
Kinda reminds me our our local motor graveyard a wee bit.


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## resigirl (Jul 20, 2009)

lost said:


> Hey welcome along, you should add some of your shots here, I am gutted I didn't get into the shop!



I know it's bad!! Maybe sometime soon you can do another trip over. I'd say it will be there for a long time!!


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## and7barton (Jul 20, 2009)

It might be ghoulish, but I'd love my funeral to be held using that old hearse.......just in it's present condition. What a spooky thing that would be.


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## andym6561 (Jul 20, 2009)

New to this site, and spent hours looking at everything on here, but this is without a doubt my favourite. Well done to the OP. Gutted that i'me to far away to pay a visit.


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## escortmad79 (Jul 20, 2009)

Makes me want to go to Ireland


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## mamakevf (Jul 20, 2009)

Me and a mate was at that site circa 1990 just to look at the old Dodge hearse,undertakers was still in use and had been talking to the owner. Shop was not open.


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## lost (Jul 20, 2009)

That's interesting to hear, do you know anything about the history?


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## wolfism (Jul 20, 2009)

I'm taking a "morbid" interest in the hearses – the Dodge and the Mercedes are great.


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## Labb (Jul 21, 2009)

Really good pictures. This is a very good documentary of what was in the past.


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## mal33bb (Jul 21, 2009)

Great Photo's I Bet if you stuck a New Battery in the Mercedes W123 it would start .


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## mamakevf (Jul 21, 2009)

lost said:


> That's interesting to hear, do you know anything about the history?



Am I allowed to tell the owners name?
That is about all that I know.
My mother is from the area and knows these people very well and can find out a lot more.
From what I can gather the present owner is the son of the original proprieter and carried on with the undertaker bussiness when the parents died, as for the shop I do not know the story with that(possibly rural area and loss of customers through emmigration,death etc.)
It's funny though, I always thought it was a Pub and not a shop, as this was very common in Ireland and is still not unheard of in rural areas and towns.
The owner is not an old man by any means, 60ish, and I know his daughter who is about my age(40ish)
I'll get back after I ask me mam


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## lost (Jul 21, 2009)

Yes, northern Scotland has a lot of rural pubs and inns too, out on their own in the middle of nowhere.
I look forward to hearing more, thanks!


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## jonney (Jul 22, 2009)

Is this funeral parlor in donegal itself as I was offered a ford granada hease from the owner of the one in Donegal but my father-in-law wouldn't let me put it on the back of his waggon to bring it back home as he said it was unlucky and he is very supersticious


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## mamakevf (Jul 22, 2009)

jonney said:


> Is this funeral parlor in donegal itself as I was offered a ford granada hease from the owner of the one in Donegal but my father-in-law wouldn't let me put it on the back of his waggon to bring it back home as he said it was unlucky and he is very supersticious



No, it's in Ballybofey


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## jonney (Jul 22, 2009)

mamakevf said:


> No, it's in Ballybofey



I've only been there once but it was a long time ago now. Nice part of the world but it seems everytime I go to Ireland it rains. We have friends in Donegal so we used to go quite a bit


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## v-w-chick (Jul 22, 2009)

man if this wasnt so far away i would so like to go there. some great classic cars 
if i ever go to ireland its a must


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## strokesboy21 (Jul 23, 2009)

its a shame to see them just rotting like that there again im surprised they didnt sell them when the buisness ceased trading must be worth a bit there again if they had then we wouldnt have these nice pics thanks op


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## Potter (Aug 1, 2009)

Dead good. 

I can't believe those hearses were just left there. Ultimate goth car.

That shop is amazing.


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## mamakevf (Aug 28, 2009)

Have heard since that this place has been boarded up, Too many visitors it seems.


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## spacepunk (Aug 29, 2009)

It's a pity you couldn't get into that shop, looks really worth a good rummage.


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