School: Mágh, Leacht Uí Chonchobhair (roll number 4951)

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1. Wakes

   

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   68.
   It was a custom in Ireland some years ago, that when a person died he was "waked" at home for a night or two .But fro the past twenty years the corpse is taken to the chapel a short time after death.
   In this locality about twenty years ago ,a wake was in practice .A supply of drink and food was brought from town;(when the person died)also clay-pipes and tobacco ;and snuff .
   About nightfall the friends and neighbours gathered into the "corpse -house".They at first went into the room in which the corpse was and said prayers for the dead .Six big candles were usually lit beside the bed in which the corpse was .
   An hour or two later drink (porter or whiskey)was given to the men ,and clay -pipes to those who smoked. Tobacco was passed to those who had pipes;and each man took enough to fill his pipe.Tea and sweet-cake were given to the girls and wine to some of them.Snuff was given to the old people.
   At some wakes it was impossible to have seats to accommodate all the people ,and very often dry hay or straw was thrown on the kitchen floor and young boys let lie on it.
   For some time after the people coming

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

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

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Nancie Hennessy

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   13

   Address

   Carrowgar, Co. Clare

   Informant

   Pat Hennessy

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   60

   Address

   Carrowgar, Co. Clare