By Deirdre Cronin

MANAGING director of one of Ireland’s leading undertakers, Jonathan Stafford, has been announced as the new President of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors.
Jonathan says his recent Presidential honour at national level fits in very well with his ongoing commitment to ensure that Stafford’s family business continues to evolve and improve in a spirit of service, integrity and professionalism.
“I have great time for the Irish Association of Funeral Directors (IAFD),” says Jonathan. “I joined our family business part time here at Stafford’s 20 years ago, and we have been members of the IAFD almost as long. I’m really interested in the strong link between our strong association at IAFD and the direct benefits to our families in a positive ongoing sense. A current example is the Government Bereavement Grant review, where we get to represent families at Government level, ensuring that any change does not impact upon people who need this grant.’
I’m struck by Jonathan’s youth, energy and enthusiasm, qualities I would not normally associate with such a grave profession. Still in his 30s, Jonathan concedes that he is probably the youngest Association President in the profession. “I consider myself very fortunate to work in this business, and it might sound strange to someone outside the industry, but I genuinely enjoy what I do,” he says. "There’s actually something very sustaining about working with a family during their time of need, and I felt that from the outset.”
Stafford’s Funeral Directors began in the 1940s with the vision of Jonathan’s grandfather, the late Tom Stafford, and remains firmly embedded in the culture of North Dublin.
“To be honest, it wasn’t just the honour of working in the family business that enhanced my career,” Jonathan adds.
“It was also the fact that I was blessed to learn this trade from dedicated experts. I’m sure some readers of this newspaper will know how Stafford’s have a long proud tradition of courtesy, care and an ever-gentle approach when it comes to serving the past three generations of bereaved families. Upholding this tradition was of paramount importance when I started work here on the North Strand, yet I was also given free rein to express my own growing ideals for how the business of arranging funerals might move with contemporary professionalism.”