Sean-Nósanna na Marbh

transcribed at

Sean-Nósanna na Marbh  [duchas:4801694]

There are several old customs connected with the dead or dying persons of this district. The people of the house always wish to see the dead person look well. When a person dies outside he is not brought into the house and waked, but he is put to church and buried the next day. 
	The first thing that is done, when a person is dying all the people of the same surname leave the house and go out into an out –house and a few neighbors are present to perform the works at the bed- side. The eyes and mouth are closed carefully immediately after he draws the

Sean-Nósanna na Marbh  [duchas:4801695]

last breath. While the person is dying the clock is stopped. Then the people who are present recite the Rosary and the prayers for the dying. Any person does not cry until the corpse is laid out. 
	When he dies the people who are outside while the death is taking place, are called in. Then they start to lay him out. The body is washed and tidied. If the dead person is a man, the face is shaved. Then word is sent to the relatives and friends while another messenger goes for the habit. When the habit arrives the corpse is dressed in it. They join his hands and put Rosary beads on them.

Sean-Nósanna na Marbh  [duchas:4801696]

(The next day is passed away similarly. In the evening the coffin is brought.)
	They put a prayer book under his head to keep his mouth closed. If the person is not enrolled in the brown scapular, the best suit he has is put on. Long ago gloves used to be worn but that custom is dying out at present. In this place the first thing that is done, is to put a door down on the bed and a white sheet is put down on that. While the women are doing this work, some other person washed the body. Then the face is shaved if he did not wear a beard

Sean-Nósanna na Marbh  [duchas:4801697]

during his life. Then a habit is put on and the cap of it is hung at the back of the bed. Then a nice clean white cloth is hung from the bottom of the bed to the ground. Long ago a white cloth was placed along the ceiling over the bed and there were crossed of black crake on this. Then the dead person is put into the bed. The hands are placed down by the sides. Long ago the hands were filled with snuff so the people who came to the wake had it to use. In olden days the person was laid out on top of the clothes but for the past ten years or so

Sean-Nósanna na Marbh  [duchas:4801698]

the bed clothes are put up as far as the waist. A small table is put near the bed with lighting candle on it. 
	Then they prepare for the wake. A person near by goes for the things needed for the wake such as pipes, tobacco, snuff, white bread, jam and tea. Then two messengers are sent for stools.
When the corpse is laid out the relatives go into the room and start an "ologón". Sometimes the children start to cry before the body is laid out. When the night comes, the people of the neighbourhood gather to the dead person's house. Then they go to the room where the dead person is laid out,