School: Dromlachan

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1. Wakes Long Ago

   

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   When there was a wake in a house, the people of the house had to get provision. These included boards to make the coffin, black cloth to cover it, bread pipes and tobacco, snuff, etc. These things were called "Contraments" from James Galloghy Farmer Aughakiltubrid Other games played at wakes were "Dressing the Crane" and "Pulling the dirty rope"

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   Topics

   1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
         1. rites of passage (~573)
            1. death (~1,076)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   P. Mac Giolla Choinnigh

   Gender

   Male

   Informant

   James Galloghy

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Sunnagh More, Co. Leitrim

2. The Burial

   

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   Long ago the coffin was carried on the shoulders or on sticks called bearers. The offerings were lifted at certain parts like a crossroads. The funeral or "berrel" always goes the longest way to the graveyard and the members of the deceaseds family never wear anything new to it. It is a good sign to see rain falling on a corpse. The old rhyme says: Happy is the birds that the sun shines on , Happy is the corpse that the rain falls on.
   When this grave is filled in their tools are laid in the form of a cross on the grave.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

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