School: Na Creaga

Location:
Creggs, Co. Galway
Teacher:
Liam Ó Breandáin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0015, Page 253

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0015, Page 253

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  1. XML School: Na Creaga
  2. XML Page 253
  3. XML “Customs at Wakes”

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  1. It is an old custom to buy clay pipes and tobacco and give a pipe to every man at the wake and to have a plate of snuff left on the bed with the corpse for the women to be snuffing. All the men used to be slapping and lifting each other on the floor with sticks, to see which of them was the strongest.
    Then had games to play at the wakes only, such as "Selling the Market" and playing "Horth" with a leather belt, and singing songs.
    It is an old custom to have three candles lit inside the corpse, in the bed, and to say the rosary at midnight. After the rosary the people who are lonely for the corpse cry out loud. The corpse is always taken out the back door or out the back window. It is also
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. medical practice
        1. folk medicine (~11,815)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Kathleen Coen
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Millford, Co. Galway
    Informant
    Mrs Coen
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Millford, Co. Galway