The Death Doula/Death Midwife in Contemporary Ireland

Death doulas (DD) or death midwives are described as companions and advocates for the dying (Elliot, 2014). While based on the birth doula role, the DD role is not as well articulated, with a great deal of variation in the literature (Rawlings et al., 2018). A lack of consistency exists in terms of the education and training DDs receive, and perspectives vary as to whether or not it should be a registered title within the health and social care landscape (Rawlings et al., 2020). While the DD is becoming better known globally, it is a relatively new phenomenon in Ireland (Byrne, 2020). There is scant academic material published around the modern concept of the doula and their work, and virtually none in an Irish context. This lack of definition and oversight may create challenges, competition and confusion as they care for people alongside health, medical and death industry professionals (Rawlings, et al., 2021). This exploratory research seeks a better understanding of Irish death doulas, from the lived experiences of those who undertake the role. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with 6- 10 DDs in Ireland, along with those who use the term “death midwife”. Using thematic analysis, the interviews will be examined for patterns of meaning among the participants, including how they see themselves and their work. The findings will link to the limited international literature on the modern death doula, their motivations for engaging with the work, and their experiences of caring for the dying and comforting the grieving in contemporary Ireland.