School: Cill Chuimín, Durlas Éile (roll number 12538)

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1. Deaths and Funerals (continued)

   

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   (10) Waking lasts generally a day and night according to the time the person dies. Pipes are not now distributed at wakes. The custom seems to have died twenty to thirty years ago. Large crowds attend wakes, some coming long distances. Drink is distributed and all are supplied with tea. Snuff is left on a plate beside the corpse and the custom of kissing the corpse on the forehead still prevails. The Rosary is recited at 12 o'clock at night. Candles are lighted beside the corpse, generally three or four. The number does not matter tho I've seen six used in parts of Clare one being left unlighted. On the following evening the remains are removed to the church, there is no fixed time. The candles which were lighting beside the remains are in some families carried lighting before the coffin out the door and then quenched outside. While the remains are being coffined the lid is left standing against the wall outside the door. Name, Date of Death and age are written on the breastplate. The age given is generally a year under or a year over the correct age. Near relatives are not to shoulder the coffin though I've seen cases where four of the same name say "four Careys" are looked for. The burial takes place at 12 o'clock. A strange custom here exists. When the coffin is lowered into the grave the screws fastening the lid are opened in such a way that the lid may be lifted off. Old people say it is to give the dead the opportunity of getting

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

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