School: Ramelton
- Location:
- Rathmelton, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Seán Ó Domhnaill
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1085, Page 334
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- XML School: Ramelton
- XML Page 334
- XML “A Tinker's Wake and Funeral”
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- When one of the Tinker Tribe dies the three clans of the county assemble for the wake & funeral.
A cross which does duty for the whole county is brought and placed on the breast of the corpse This is supposed to keep the deceased from re-appearing again in this world
At 12 oclock at night fifteen decades of the Rosary are said and afterwards the friends & relatives touch the corpse with the hand & head averted. This is supposed to keep the "wraith" of the dead person from appearing during the wake.
When the corpse is being coffened no one outside "The Clan" is allowed to be present so that any ceremonies which take place then are unknown when the lid of the coffin is being screwed down, they all kneel down and say some prayer unknown to outsiders
All funerals take place in Conwal Graveyard Letterkenny for this district. When every mile-stone along the route is(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Joseph Harkin
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 40
- Address
- Glen Lower, Co. Donegal
