Sequence of Traditional Events Surrounding Death
by Cinaet Scotach and Iain MacAnTsaoir
Prior To Death:
The following are customs surrounding death that we know have been or are practiced in the Gaelic culture. Each of these are held by scholars to be carry overs from the time of our pre-Christian ancestors.
When the person began the dying process, the Anamcara, or 'soul friend' was called. It was her job to help during the transition of death. She used herbs to soften the pangs of death, and prepared the person for what to expect after they had passed over, and to make the proper incantations after they had. If a person passed before she could arrive, then once she arrived, she "spoke" to them and told them what to do to continue on their journey.
While the person was dying there was a death vigil held by those close to them.
The Wake:
"Tis a sad day, when my father is put into the clay and not even one blow was struck at his funeral!", cried the Leinsterman as the mourners were quietly leaving his fathers funeral. With that exclamation, he turned and struck the man nearest him. Soon the graveyard was the site of an old fashioned Donnybrook. When the son felt that enough violence had been commited in paying respects to his departed father, he called for a truce.
As wild as this sounds to us by today's standards, this was not an unheard of activity to our gaelic ancestors. Wakes were not always a somber sad occasion to the Gael. They were a celebration of the life that was lived rather than the death that ended the life. Despite attempts made by the church to tone down the wild behavior at wakes, it carried on up until the early parts of this century. In 1645, the Church of Scotland banned attendance at wakes, but the ban was largely ignored. In Ireland, the Church scorned such activity as well.
According to the Synod of Armagh August 23 1670, the clergy were not permitted to attend wakes or funerals where "sport and amusements were carried on by night...." Any parish Priest who did not do their best to end such practices were to be stripped of their parishes.
The dead were washed using water from a sacred well or by sea water to protect them while passing through the realms of water to the Land Under the Wave (Tir-na Nog or OtherWorld). This also stands in contrast to the birth baptism. The idea being that the first sealed them one this side after their journey here, the second sealed them on the otherside after leaving here.
When washed the corpse was wrapped in the Eslene (Death Shirt) and laid on a fuat or bier in the center of the home for seven days. Rush torches were kept burning for the seven days and nights. The corpse had a bowl placed on their chest filled with food, gold, weapons, salt etc where the were laid laid out throughout.
After the body was prepared for the wake, it was customary for a few of the younger relatives to stay awake and spend the evening with the departed, keeping candles lit throughout the night so as not to leave the body alone in the dark. The body was simply never left alone and was usually guarded by two close friends or relatives. A body left alone in the dark would find the road to hell, according to superstition. These young folk would spend the evening talking and telling stories, sometimes sharing a bit of whisky as well. On occasions the body would twitch or move causing the watchers to jump out of their skins; more often than not someone was hiding behind the body making these things happen. A good prank was often enjoyed and sometimes even encouraged. The travel to and from a wake was never undertaken alone
The next day was the day the keening began. The rites would begin by the traditional practice of Caoine (pronounced keena, the Anglicised word became keening). This would take the form of great lamentation interspersed by periods of praise for the dead person. The Caoine is not the mournful and haunting wail that it is often portrayed as. The Caoine is the singing of a lament over the dead. Here is an example:
"O father, you have left us! Ochon!
Why did you leave us? Ochon!
Or what did we do to you? Ohon!
That you went away from us? Ochon!
Tis you that had plenty! Ochon!
And why did you leave us? Ochon!
(all join in) Ochon! Ochon! Ochon!
Strong was your arm! Ochon!
Light was your step! Ochon!
Skilled were your hands! Ochon!
Poor we are without you! Ochon!
And why did you leave us? Ochon!
(all) Ochon, Ochon, Ullagon O!"
It was considered very bad luck to keen a newly departed soul. Care had to be taken not to keen until the body was dressed and fully laid out and the soul was surely well out of the body. It was believed that premature keening would attract evil spirits and these spirits would whisk the soul to hell before it had fully left the body. The old Irish proverb "May you be in heaven a half hour before the Devil knows you are dead." seems to go along with this custom. As new mourners arrived the keening process would start over again only to die down a few minutes later. This process of mourning with every new visitor carried on through the day. The circumstances surrounding the death and general mood would dictate how the rest of the wake was held. If it was a particularly tragic death or one of a person who passed on far too early in life, the wake would most likely be of a somber nature with little merriment; consisting mainly of drinking and socializing, story telling and the like. On the other hand, if the deceased was well on in years and had a full life or the death was of natural causes the activities would begin...of course being interrupted from time to time by the late arriving mourner which would start the keening process over. After three days of Caoine and dependent on the status of the deceased, feasting and games would be held in their honor. This would continue till the day of interment, or cremation in some places.
In one corner of the room, usually the kitchen, a group of older mourners would sit smoking and drinking telling tales of all sorts. In an opposite corner the younger mourners often gathered for all types of games and riddles. The deceased was not left out of wake activities and often they were given their own drink and sometimes even their own pipe.
Some of the wake amusements:
Pertaining to the games, there were a great many played. Some where only played at wakes. Among these were:
Cutting the timber - Two teams would stand on either side of a doorway, a person would lie with his head and shoulders through one side of the door and his feet through the other side, one team would grab his feet while the other team grabbed his head and shoulders, they would then pick him up and play tug o'war with him like a big two man saw, pulling and pushing back and forth until one team proved too strong for the other.
Sowing the seed - The cobwebs and dirt from the rafters of the house were the seeds in this mischievous game. Three or four players would go around the house brushing the debris off of the rafters onto the other mourners.
Going around under a table - A player would lie face down on the top of a table and by gripping the edges of the table was required to scoot himself under the table and back to the top again without touching the floor or overturning the table.
Riding the wild ass - A noose was hung from a rafter and in a show of agility and strength as well as courage the player would place one of his feet in the noose then with his hands pull on the free end of the rope; hopefully raising himself high enough to be able to kick the rafter.
Wrestling - A man would walk into the house dressed in a straw suit and challenge the mourners to wrestle the Connachtman. Some times the "Connachtman" was armed with a stick.
Jumping over a stick - A stick was held in both hands and the holder of the stick had to jump over it without breaking his grip. Sometimes a straight razor replaced the stick!
Shaving the Friar - A small mount of ashes was made on the floor and a match or other similar small object was stuck in the center of the mound sticking straight up. A group of players sat around the mound each armed with a spoon or like utensil taking turns scooping out a little of the ash. The loser was the one who made the match fall.
During the game the players would say the following in unison,
"Shave the poor Friar to make him a liar;
Cut off his beard to make him afeard;
If the Friar will fall, my poor back pays for all!"
The Cockfight - Two men squatted facing each other on the floor, they then passed their hands outside of their knees and brought them up in between them. Both the hands and knees of the combatant were tied together and a sharp stick was placed into the tied hands, simulating the spur of the rooster. They would then fight each other with these sticks. The winner was the one who was able to stay upright. I have tried this and believe me it is not easy.
Bees and the Honey - An innocent "gom" was seated on a stool and covered with straw while the "bees", other young men, "buzzed" around him looking for honey. Each "bee" gathered a big mouthful of water and all them at once emptied the water onto the hive, soaking the gom.
Horse Fair - Aa number of young boys and young men played the part of horses who were being put through their paces by a "dealer" who used adequate names (a tall boy might be "racehorse", a more horizontally challenged boy called "cob" and a rambunctious lad called "colt"). Dealer would have them all show off tricks and running and jumping. If one failed they were either beaten by the dealer or made to lie on the floor while yet another, the "blacksmith" pounded the soles of their feet.
Slapping - The number of games that involved slapping is amazing. Most slapping games went on until one party decided it had receieved a good enough beating. Slapping was done usually with the hand but some times pieces of leather or rope or even wet netting were used. A thick leather strap called a linger or a faic was often used for punishment when one lost a contest. Of course this is a bit rough but it offered excellent incentive to win.
Athletics - Outside the wake house many athletic events were held from foot races to standing long jump and all of it's variations.
Other games were "Buying the Oats", "Fronsey Fronsey", "Hot Hands", "Fool In The Middle", "Selling the Pig", "The Poloney Man" and many others.
Often things would get out of hand in such an envioronment. Some of the wake amusements would lead to fights. Slapping combined with a generous amount of whisky will usually do that. In Ireland, during the times of the Factions, many of the different groups would show up at wakes and funerals wielding their shillelaghs looking for rival groups. A few of these groups were: the Molly Maguire's, the Fenian's and the White Cockades. If one of the members of a certain Faction would lose a contest to a member of another Faction, trouble was usually the end result. An acount from Scotland tells of a wake where all in attendance were eating boiled potatoes dipped in salt. Well it seems things started getting rowdy, and before long the dearly departed was propped up on the bed with a pipe sticking out of his mouth. The mourners were taking turns throwing boiled potoatoes at him trying to knock the pipe from his mouth. This was not an old story...this was from the 1920s.
Burial:
On the morning of interment a visitor came bearing a measuring rod called a fey. This Aspenwood rod was carved with Ogham letters and was used to measure the deceased to ensure a proper fit within the final resting place. This rod was held in awe and terror, and none would look at it, as it was thought that if this rod caught your measure your death was imminent.
At the setting of the sun on the seventh day the corpse would be carried by seven men or a wagon, in ancient time a chariot if of noble status. They were then either buried or burned depending on local custom.
A few customs found in practice at least up to the last century more than likely date from the pagan era. Some of them were the taboos against digging a grave on Monday unless the sod had been cut on Sunday or to dig a grave at night. Others were the closing of windows, doors and shades or shutters of the houses which the funeral procession will pass.
Within the Brehon Law there exists the "rights of the corpse." This law states that certain personal possessions belongs to the dead and cannot be taken from them under any circumstances, even as a debt owed. These items are a horse, a cow, a bed, a house or its furniture. These items would be retained by the next of kin.
Sources:
Scottish Customs From Cradle To Grave, Margaret Bennett
Irish Wake Amusements, Sean O'Suilleabhain
A Treasury of Irish Folklore edited by Padraic Colum
Scottish Customs, Sheila Livingstone
Things Irish, Anthony Bluett
Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmichael
In Ireland Long Ago, Kevin Danaher
The Hand Of Destiny, C.J.S. Thompson
The World Of The Celts, Simon James
Dal Riadh Celtic Heritage Trust
I wonder if this was true. Sure has comical aspects.
