Dermod did not have any church connections, so the decision was taken to have a humanist funeral. The ‘service’ was held in Roselawn Crematorium, Belfast, at 3 PM on Tuesday 11 March 1997.
The jazz musicians of Ulster turned a terribly sad occasion into a memorable celebration of a wonderful colleague’s life and times. Gerry Rice and Foggy Little played a duet as the family members carried in the coffin. At the time of the committal four members of the Apex Jazz Band, led by George Chambers, stood beside the bier and played a very slow blues. Once the coffin had disappeared, the music changed to a rousing stomp. The effect was electric, providing another answer to that age old question ,”Death where is thy sting?”.