Lies, damn lies and eulogies. Archbishop Brady doesn't like them and neither do most undertakers, who have to sit through more than their fair share of them.

"The worst are the crocodile tears," said one funeral director. "I remember one where the family were describing this man who, if you believed them, was the greatest father and husband on earth. This was a man who had loads of affairs and so did the wife. It was all for appearances.

"All they were really worried about during the ceremony was whether their hats were on straight."

The experience is echoed by another undertaker, who recalls a eulogy from the daughter of a dead man which lasted 25 minutes. "A woman at the back of the church gets up and said `I don't know who she is talking about but it's not the man who lived next door to me'."

The untruths apart, eulogies can also have their tacky side. Comedy, sing-songs and poetry readings are but a few of the common additions to modern funerals. Many funeral directors believe such tributes are not always appropriate.

"Unfortunately, people can feel under pressure to say something when they are not really comfortable doing so," said Keith Massey of Glasnevin-based Rom Massey & Sons. "They see eulogies being said at other funerals and feel obliged to do the same or it might seem like they don't care. That can lead to embarrassing or awkward situations."

He estimates around one in eight to 10 funerals now features a eulogy. "They are definitely on the up and they are more frequent and much longer with well-to-do families, or if it's a younger person involved."

As well as speeches, there is a trend towards incorporating props and symbols into the ceremony. Dressing the body of the deceased in the colours of his favourite football team is one growing fashion. Another is using the offertory procession to bring the deceased's most prized possessions to the altar. Occasionally, this means offering a full set of golf clubs as a gift.

The most unorthodox ceremonies, however, are reportedly those for musicians or artists. One Dublin undertaker recalled the funeral of a local character who loved to gamble on the horses. His tribute was to be carried from the church to the ceremony on a pony and cart.

But despite the questionable taste of some modern ceremonies, they should be tolerated, say funeral directors, if they help families to mourn.

"So what if they do go a bit OTT sometimes," said a north Dublin undertaker, John Kirwan. "A funeral should be something very personal."

Mr Massey agrees. "You have to bear in mind the family are paying to use the church and should be given a bit of leeway," he said. "It should be left up to the priest to discuss it with the family and between them they should be allowed to decide what is the most appropriate thing to do."