School: Curratavy
- Location:
- Corratawy, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: E. Ó Gallchobhair
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0964, Page 029
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- XML School: Curratavy
- XML Page 029
- XML “Old Wake and Funeral Customs”
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- Old wake and funeral customs.Like many other things, the old customs concerning wakes and funerals are fading rapidly. These changes have all been brought about within the last twenty or thirty years. Here are some of the customs. When a person died, all the friends and neighbours gathered into the house. Then the preparations for their wake began. A few persons went to town to get what was called "the funeral charges". This included , pipes, tobacco, whiskey, and groceries.
On the following night, the house would fill in with the dead persons neighbours relatives. They would be entertained heartily, and offered plenty of food and drink. Then a man would go around with a clay pipe full of tobacco. After smoking and chatting around the blazing fire, singing, tricks and games would start. Often the man of the house or who ever in charge would say boys, why are you not enjoying yourselves.
Here are some of the games that were played. All the men would sit around on the floor. A strong stick was got. Each man would get hold of this, and pull until some one of them would take it from all the rest. He would get up with the stick in his hand, and give the men on the floor a heavy stroke on the back with it. There was also another game called "Dividing the bull", and "a tug of war"(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Roise Ní Samhrain
- Gender
- Female
