School: Moyaugher (roll number 4523)

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1. Customs - Wakes and Funerals (continued)

   

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   and a plate on which there was snuff. Women came to the wake during the day. Each knelt(?) down on coming in and sat for a while talking to other women. The plate of snuff was handed around and everyone took a pinch, saying The Lord have mercy on his (her) soul as they took it. Refreshments were served in another room. At night men attended the wake. They generally came in groups and recited the De Profundis at the door before entering. They sat up all night, and often had songs and games such as "Harry the brogue".
   Sometimes the corpse was "waked" in he barn.
   Mass used to be celebrated at the wake house on the morning of the funeral.
   When the corpse was taken out to be buried the coffin was placed on two stools outside the door while the priest recited prayers for the dead. When the bier was removed from the stools it was very important to knock down both stools at once so as not to leave them ready for another corpse. Care was taken to put out the candles in the wake room immediately the corpse was removed for the same reason.
   On arrival at the graveyard the corpse was carried three times round the graveyard after which it was left down on a certain placein the churchyard- usually the site of the

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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. marriage (~4,283)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary Collins

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Múinteoir