School: Glenidan (roll number 12862)

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1. The Wake

   

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   Long ago all the women used to go to the wake during the day and the men used to wait until night. The wake used to be in the barn. When the men used to stand and say the Deprofundis. Then they used to to where the dead person lay and sit down and say a few prayers.

   Then they used to play "hurry the Bróg". This is how they used to play it. There used to be a lot of straw on the floor. The men used to sit down in a ring on the floor. One man used to stand in the centre. They used to have a piece of plaited rope called the cat. Each of the men in the ring would pass the cat under their legs to the man. The man in the centre would be looking for the cat when someone at the back would hit him with it. When he would look for the cat there it would be passed on further. At last when he would get the cat whoever it would be under would have to stand up in his place.

   Another company would be playing Slap on the Back. This is how they would play it. There would be one man sitting on a chair. Another man would have to bend down to this man who would blind him. The man

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Collector

   Frances Fitzsimons

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Thomas Fitzsimons

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Gleann Fhiodan, Co. na hIarmhí