Our History
Gilligan Funeral Home has been serving Cincinnati area families for years. We are honored to be a part of the rich history of this community and plan to be a part of it for many years to come.
More than a Century of Service in Cincinnati
More than a century of Gilligan Funeral Homes tradition, spanning five generations, began in downtown Cincinnati in 1877.
Patrick Gilligan came to America from County Sligo, Ireland, settling in Cincinnati in 1857. He began a livery business, which he developed into P. Gilligan and Sons Undertakers and Embalmers with the help of his sons, Andrew and John.
The funeral home was one of the first in the area to offer embalming services. Patrick and Andrew died in 1905, leaving John J. Gilligan to operate the business with the help of his son, Harry J. Gilligan.
As his business grew, John purchased the first motorized funeral coach to operate in Cincinnati. He eventually changed the name of the business to John J. Gilligan and Son in 1919.
Following family tradition, Harry's three sons, Harry Jr., Frank and John (Jack) Gilligan continued the operation of the business. Harry Jr. and Frank operated the firm until retirement age, while John left funeral service to become Governor of Ohio.
Currently, Peter J. Gilligan, Sr., son of Harry J. Gilligan Jr., operates the funeral homes as fifth generation funeral director, and is looking forward to his son, Peter J. Gilligan, Jr., continuing the family business for years to come. The company now has two locations, and continues to provide top-notch service to the greater Cincinnati area.
