The 'Wake' - Irish Funerals
Miguel B
Today's post is not intended to make anyone feel depressed, but to show another Irish tradition that, hopefully, many of you won't get to see while in Ireland.
The 'Wake' means when a friend or relative dies, and it is normally a great loss both for the family and also for the circle of friends we make during our lifetime.
In Ireland, the funeral can sometimes take place three or four days after death. During those days, the deceased is usually held by the undertakers until the funeral, although many people still prefer to have their loved one in their house. This means there's a room dedicated to that purpose, with candles and a statue of a Virgin or Christ.
The day before the funeral, the coffin is taken to church, sometimes on the shoulders of relatives and friends. This is known as the removal.
The funeral takes place the following morning and after the ceremony, the body is removed to a cemetary or crematorium (there is only one in Ireland at present in Dublin's northside suburb Glasnevin).
After the cemetary, all the guests will go to a pub and generally spend the rest of the day there, and in some cases the night too. This tradition may sound shocking for non-Irish, however the idea behind this is to help the family through their difficult day by drink and distraction. The deceased is fondly remembered throughout the day, toasted many times, and anecdotes and good words are said about him or her.
