Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-03-15
THE IRISH WAKE.
10 IL . Kindly and Human Custom I'm
Intention.

10 Is = Kindly and Human Custom I'm
Intention.
The old Irish custom of waking"
the dead has given rise to much misrep-
resentation of the Irish character, and
vet in its intention il is a kindly and
human custom. To those who do not
understand the Irish nature, or the i'm
pulses which move il, the drinking,
smoking and conversation which take
place at wakes" appear incongruous
and repulsive. To the Irish people, on
the other hand, there is something very
cold, unfeeling and repellept in the
English custom of leaving the corpse
shut up in room, all alone, deserted,
as it were, by the family. In Ireland
we keep close company with our dead
TO the very last moment.
Waking" means watching" We
watch sffectionately by the body of a
dead relative or friend until the time
arrives to depart for the burial ground.
The body is laid ON the bed, covered
with white sheet, leaving exposed the
head and the hands crossed reverently
on the breast. The walls about the bed
are covered with sheets, ON which are
often hung branches of flowers and
laurel leaves Seven lighted candles
stand on q table noa- rho bod. Tho room
is frequently sprinkled with holy water
TO keep off the evil spirits who may be
lowering around, and on the corpse is a
large plate of salt, which is believed to
be hygienically efficaoious for the
watchers.
The Irish people are gregarious in
their instincts They never like TO be
alone, and this feeling for companion
ship is strongest when death has visit
ed them closely. A family deprived OF
n member by death seeks consolation
from the neighbors, and the neighbors,
ever quick ID sympathy, in Joy or in
sorrow, crowd in to cheer up the spirits
of the bereaved, TO distract their
thoughts from their sad loss. First en-
tering the room where the corpse lies
they kneel and say n prayer. But the
manifestation Of sorrow is confined to
the chamber of death. Outside, in the
wide kitchen, the neighbors assemble,
and snuff, pipes and tobacco, whisky
and stout are supplied to them.
There are wakes at which stories
are told, forfeits are played and lit
N~~ ~Nc@AOAt Ah00iSCO III OuN, u RUE,
while every effort is made by the watch
ers to blunt the edge of sorrow, perfect
decorum is preserved, and not an un-
seemly word is spoken. / have been at
many wakes" and certainly 1 have
never heard a song sung, though it is
often said-of course by those who do
not know-that singing is common
practice at these assemblies. Moreover,
there is motive-founded upon super
stition, 1t is true-for checking the
manifestations of grief in the presence
OF the dead. In some parts of Ireland it
is believed that the soul of departed
person is made restless by the tears and
regrets of surviving friends and rela-
tives, and that, unable TO get TO heaven.
1t hovers about the earth until the sor-
row for its departure is appeased.
Mourners may, therefore, be seen at
wakes" struggling to repress their
sobs and tears. Don't be cryin that
way, ashore, or you'll keep him from
his rest" was a remonstrance i heard
kindly addressed to n young widow
who was weeping bitterly over the re-
mains of her husband Tele-
graph.