Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-18
CITY AND DISTRICT
ur. Mooney Paper Before the Anshro.
biological society -SuPerss,ffons Me-
garding Death.

The funeral customs Of Ireland, I" was the sub
Ject OF a paper read before the Anthropological
Society, last evening, BY Mr. James Mooney.
great many OF the customs. he said had become
obsolete. and were unknown TO the younger genera
lions. Their general prevalence and character
afforded some interesting studies Their decline he
attributed TO the spread Of intelligence, the use Of
hearsss az funerals, and the opposition OF the
clergy. The latter was especially opposed TO
wakes and with the abandonment OF that custom
was involved the disuse OF the funeral cry, the
ksena Or ooL IL .. written fSsf , IN esele
numerous death Omens believed In. many Of
them common In Europe They were mainly
bowling OF a dog Indicated death, and II the
dogs head was turned toward the house that
meant the death OF a near relative. II his head
was turned away from the house then IL meant
the death OF a distant relative. Then there were
the Omens Of ringing In the ears. the croakfng OF
Isns, rVsIsrs Growing osio a. msn,s, Is
sick person, and butterflies nytPg about He spoke
VI peculiar death omens connected with certain
families The widest and most Irish OF these Was
THE BANsHEE Or SPIRIT WOMAN.
Her mission Is TO give warning OF approaching
death by u;tering q plaintive cry. This cry re-
ssmbles very much the Keenah and may be
nkened 10 the autumn wind rising and falling In
Laournful cadences.
and that was the fairy influence on sickness and
death Instead OF dying IL was thought that the
people were carried Oh By fairies. Tue theory Of
the fairies Is that while they apparently lead
light, joyous existence yet really they fear their
nnL doom and hence seek TO ally themselves with
mortalS II Is supposed that when the soul
the bar Of cod TO be judged that the
fairies enter into the body. and In case
the soul Il sentenced 70 return 10 the body II Is i'm
possible 10 do so the fairy Is In possession, and
so the soul IS compelled 70 Join the fairies. The
Inen1s OF me uecsaSeo person endeavor 10 ascer-
tain whether the Ia ries are In the body, and one
plan adopted Is 70 place fOx-glove under the body
IL Is supposed that the fairies are unable TO WITH
stand the influence OF this flower. IL Is believed
that the soul thus BUSTED out OF the body can re-
turn In three, nve or seven years, providing that
during the time they do not eat fairy food. on ac-
count or this belief the friends or the deceased
leave food outside where the soul can get iJ on
IT'S journeys with the fairies Halloween night
II believed TO be favOrite time for the souls TO
come back and see their friends.
Mr.. Mooney spoke OF the belief that chicken
feathers In bed added 10 the sufferings OF the
dying person. and also OF the practice OF hanging
piece OF unsalted butter from the rafters OF the
room wp.re cOnsumptive Is dying. Then as
death approaches all the members OF the family
enters the butter, which Is buried, and In this
way that is Tine end OF the disease In that family.
FUNERAL FEAsrs.
The custom OF funeral feasts was referred 70 as
originating primarily In the idea OF sending the
souls well equipped to the other world. The wake
he said, was not a mere drinking orgie but a sur
ytval OF an ancient death riJe. The idea at the
bottom OF the wake Is that the evil spirits would
carry on the body and soul too unless the BODY
was watched Now the Irish consider IL as a
mark OF respect TO the family OF the deceased He
gave an interesting description OF the wake, the
funeral cry aud the games. Tie spoke OF the con-
tests that arose when two funerals happened 10
come 10 the burying place at the same time.
There was rush for precedence, and sometimes
bloody fights ensued.
one OF the members OF the society, IN comment
ing upon the paper on the conclusion OF the read
ing, said that he noticed In a New YORK paper not
more than three years ago an account or the ar
rest OF the drivers OF two fast driving.
They were racing 10 reach the cemetery gate nrst,
and they explained 10 the judge that the last
corpse 10 be buried would have 10 keep watch
until relieved by another
paper was 70 have been presented by Mr.. W.
III. Holmes, but he was unable 10 be present.