Irish Funerals

[Moleman]

My Aunts Dad died on Sunday (he was 92) and we have spent the last few days at the wake.

Just wondering if these practices are particular to Ireland or do other parts of the world do the same thing?

Burials generally happen 2-3 days after the person dies, during this time the body will be at the house for people to come and see if they wish, the house will also be full of family and neighbours for the few days leading up to the funeral.

After the service from the church the men of the family will carry the coffin out of the church and will follow the hurse a mile or so down the road taking it in turns to carry the coffin. When everyone gets to the graveyard the men of the family will again carry the coffin to the grave.

Seems kinda strange when you think about it, would be interesting if you do a similar thing in your part of the world!

moleman

[LordSturm]

sounds about the same as the USA for burials. although with all the different cultures and beliefs about, odviously they differ. Usually there is a fiewing of the body before the actual burial cerimony either at the church the day before the burial or at the families house.

then a service is done at the church. and the body is carried to the grave yard where additional prayer by the pastor is done, i dont think family members carry the coffin though, but it might just be a matter of preference to the family itself.

i dont think it happens as quickly though.. it might be a week or two between the death and the actual service, because thanks to americas love of making money the process is complicated by picking the right coffin, the right funeral home, buying the tomb stone and all the other things youd rather not be doing.

[Major.Arse]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral#Fu ... th_America
bout the same cept for the men carrying the casket. we got Cadillac's for that.

it also depends more on religious beliefs and less on location, not sure you made that clear. In Israel I'm sure tradition is different then say turkey, or India, or china, or the north pole.

but Israelis, turks, Indians (from India) the Chinese, or Santa elves, would have the same traditions in new jersey, or Dublin, as they would back home.

the majority of Americans are some form of Catholicism so we have mostly the same traditions as you folks.

[Jwilson6]

Generally the oldest male grandchildren carry the casket if there are any, Otherwise it would just be any male members of the family or sometimes close friends.

[Ichigo]

That seems pretty much the same as here