Death Becomes Us: Folklore and Participation in Modern Irish Funeral Rituals

Ireland has been described as a country that is comfortable with death and mourning rituals. Death “seems to enjoy an almost casual pre-eminence” (Taylor, 1990, 175) in the national psyche and in mourning rituals such as the wake/removal, funeral mass, burial and Month’s Mind. While there may not be the extended and lengthy mourning rituals seen in other societies, the Irish appear to exercise a communal understanding of death in which virtually all members need to participate and attend. Although Aries (1981) described the changing consideration of death in western society as becoming more individual and private, the Irish have maintained the communal and social aspects of mourning. Respect for the dead and attendance at funeral rites has a strong connection in Irish folklore tradition. Wakes or removals, which take place after death and preparation of the corpse, have been recorded going back as far as pre-Christian times. In the past the corpse was laid out in the family home for a number of days, with neighbours, friends and relatives visiting to pay their respects through prayer in front of the body and then enjoying food and drink while offering emotional support to the immediate family. This popular custom has been mediated somewhat by the rise of the funeral home industry so that the body would not necessarily be laid out in the home, although the practice is increasing in popularity again particularly in rural areas. National folklore archives reveal stories of the dead returning to chide the living who had not attended a funeral or had not paid sufficient attention to accepted mourning customs (Lysaght, 1998). How does this folkloric history impact on attendance at rituals in modern Ireland, given the weakening power of religion and a more transient society? In this paper I will consider some of the modern ways used to communicate about death and ensure attendance and participation at death rituals, including social media, television and radio, and mobile communication.