School: Coillíní
- Location:
- Killeen, Co. Mayo
- Teacher: Ss. Ó Roithleain
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0123, Page 207
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- XML “Wake and Funeral Customs”
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- (continued from previous page)at the wake. A favourite game is [Tarc].
A short, thick, hard rope is made of straw. The game is for men only. The players sit on the floor in a circle-feet towards the centre. One player sits in the centre. Then the rope is passed round by the players-under their knees- the object being to get the rope behind the 'centre' man. If this is done
a player strikes him from behind crying [Tarc]. The centre player turns in an effort to seize the rope which is quickly passed round to a fresh position.
When the player succeeds in securing the rope he is released to take his place in the ring, while the careless player is put in the centre.
On the day of the funeral, when the corpse is being taken from the house, all curtains around bed and windows are removed and thrown on the floor.
When the grave has been filled the immediate relatives of a young person cross over the grave 3 times.
When the coffin is being taken out the feet of the corpse go first.
It is not right to come home from a corpse house alone.
