Is the future of burial and bereavement to be found in a QR code? 

For generations, Irish people have distributed mass cards after an individual dies as a way to remember them and provide comfort. 

Now a new company wants to go a step further and create a digital webpage that can be accessed via a QR code. 

“The Story Of hopes to capture the story of your loved ones,” co-founder Judie Russell explained to Newstalk Breakfast. 

“Whether they’re living or deceased and store text, images, audio and video on a webpage that’s dedicated to them and then link this using a QR code that you can attach to a gravestone, an urn, a bench or even remembrance cards.” 

Ms Russell has created one with her mother and it includes photos, videos and a biography of her. 

“She has lots of videos [where she’s being] asked about the lessons that she’d like to pass on and then you can create one for people who’ve already passed,” she said. 

“So, one of the other co-founders has one for his grandfather and then the QR code is already on his gravestone.” 

A woman holds up a QR code. Picture by: AGENZIA SINTESI / Alamy Stock Photo

The QR code was invented in 1994 but has surged in popularity in recent years as smartphones became almost universal. 

“The QR code is just a tiny little scan thing,” Ms Russell said. 

“I think people are becoming more aware of how to use these since lockdown in restaurants - now they’re kind of normal - and we try to make them so they fit into the gravestone. 

“So, if the gravestone is black marble, we’ll do a black acrylic one, so it doesn’t completely stand out. It’s subtle but it’s there for anyone passing who wants to learn about that person.”