Competence and compassion are the hallmarks of our work.
ABOUT US
At RHEA, we are more than just event planners; we are companions on your journey of saying goodbye. We offer compassionate support, a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on. You are not alone in this journey; we are here for you every step of the way.
Founded by Dara O’Shea and Louise O’Brien, RHEA was created to enable families and individuals experience meaningful and personalised goodbyes for their loved ones, more than just a funeral. Their decades of collective event management experience across a breath-taking range of event have made the RHEA team specialists in organising international, national and local events in Munster. This wealth of experience ensures a seamless and meaningful funeral or memorial event tailored to each occasion. With Dara’s degree in Marketing and Business studies, and Louise’s degrees in Music and Arts & Heritage Management, this duo dynamically combine their diverse skills to create bespoke funeral and memorial experiences. Dara and Louise are committed to working with bereaved individuals, continuously pursuing specialist training in this area including Civil Funeral Celebrancy training.
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.
RHEA bring together a unique combination of professional expertise and personal skills to deliver well-crafted, beautifully thoughtful occasions that sensitively support the grieving experience.
“I and my siblings were grateful to have had Dara and Louise at our side as we sought to honour our dad, Ted’s, long and unique life. We found that their professional expertise, competence and attention to detail was matched fully by their compassion and patience – we were all extremely happy afterward, especially when we think of how much Dad would have enjoyed it.”
“When faced with the daunting task of organising a funeral that would truly honour our Dad, Dara and Louise stepped in as our guiding light. They researched the wonderful man that he was, to ensure we could create a ceremony that he would have loved. They researched the perfect venue, found an amazing singer and musician who played his favourite songs and they planned the flowers from his favourite colours. Their dedication to compassion was only matched by the seamless planning and execution, reducing stress on all of us. We will be forever grateful that we were able to spend time with friends and family, knowing that Dara and Louise had everything in hand.”
“RHEA helped our family to organise a memorial for our daughter and sister 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.”
“When my uncle passed suddenly, myself and my extended family were in shock. I was so glad to have Louise on hand with expertise, great empathy and time to prepare for the funeral mass. It meant I wasn’t nervous at all, was able to participate in the mass with clarity and confidence and be present in the moment to honour my uncle. What a fabulous service Rhea offers.”
“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.”
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.