Why are the Irish so obsessed with funerals?

oppenheimer1

Fedupguessing wrote: »

I've told my family, I want to be wrapped up and dumped in the sea.

Its really difficult to get permission to be buried at sea in Ireland afaik.

Sergeant

I love a good old Irish funeral. Heading over to the house of a newly-dead neighbour. Gawking at his dead corpse all laid out in a coffin. Looking suitably mournful for the occasion. Pass a few platitudes to his family. Then out to the kitchen to stuff your face full of sandwiches and beer.

The sudden and dramatic reemergence of the Irish wake is a lovely thing to see. It's a proper send off.

anncoates

No matter if you are religious or not, death and honouring the dead is one of the cornerstones of civilisation even if it gets clouded by nosiness and parish politics.

Legs.Eleven

Irish funerals usually mean a decent session and we like to drink!

wintersolstice

Funerals are a much bigger thing in the country than in Dublin.You have to go and be SEEN or if you arent there,its noted and remembered for years.My aunt even in the midst of her grief can tell exactly who WASN"T at her husbands funeral that she thought should have been.I think that funerals are a bit OTT in rural areas and God help it if you don't provide a massive feed and gallons of drink!

jjbrien

What always gets me about Ireland and funerals is if you go down that country and you are listing to the country radio stations they read out the names of the people who are dead and when the funeral is Midlands 103 does that. Now in Dublin you would never hear FM104 do it

Sergeant

jjbrien wrote: »

What always gets me about Ireland and funerals is if you go down that country and you are listing to the country radio stations they read out the names of the people who are dead and when the funeral is Midlands 103 does that. Now in Dublin you would never hear FM104 do it

Ya. There is a new Kanye West song to play.

hfallada

For most people its a social event to meet john and mary who they havent seen Niamh since Tom died. I hate the whole Peter was a great men when last week the same person will telling everyone I have never seen such a mean ****

Sebastian Dangerfield

Sounds like an episode of The Savage Eye. Enter Bull Mick: "Cos of the ****in quares"

ProudDUB

jjbrien wrote: »

What always gets me about Ireland and funerals is if you go down that country and you are listing to the country radio stations they read out the names of the people who are dead and when the funeral is Midlands 103 does that. Now in Dublin you would never hear FM104 do it

I KNOW ! They do that in Donegal too. Nearly crashed me car when I was there earlier in the month, and I heard them do it. Dunno why it struck me as so odd, but am sure it must be nice to have a radio station with that kind of local connection....as long as you can put up with all the Daniel O'Donnell tooons.

Meangadh

I know you'll always have a few weirdos that are only going for the gawk, but I've been to plenty of funerals of people that I didn't know, but I know people they're related to- like my friend's brother or a number of my friends' parents who I wouldn't have known.

I went there for them, not really for the deceased person at all.

Clareboy

Meangadh wrote: »

I know you'll always have a few weirdos that are only going for the gawk, but I've been to plenty of funerals of people that I didn't know, but I know people they're related to- like my friend's brother or a number of my friends' parents who I wouldn't have known.

I went there for them, not really for the deceased person at all.

What you describe is known out the country as " to folly dis wan an' folly dat wan "

fishy fishy

Clareboy wrote: »

Its a tradition that is pointless and highly hypocritical. In other words, people who would not even look at you when you are alive will turn up at your funeral and say what a great person you were.

no, it's more of a catholic tradition and a social tradition - before we had all these nightclubs, pubs, restaurants, etc people were poorer - funerals were social events where you would have a "wake" and a shot of poiteen maybe and most of the area would turn up.

I think people can sympathize with somebody's family even if they didn't like the person - they may feel sorry for the relatives that they are in mourning. I think your simplified version of basically saying "f*ck that lot, I hated the dead one so I'll blank the lot of them" is very oversimplified and not really thought out. People go to funerals for the LIVING, not the dead. It doesn't harm anybody and as they say, you will always remember the people that DIDN'T attend a funeral. So there.

But carry on ....

mike65

jjbrien wrote: »

What always gets me about Ireland and funerals is if you go down that country and you are listing to the country radio stations they read out the names of the people who are dead and when the funeral is Midlands 103 does that. Now in Dublin you would never hear FM104 do it

For years WLF in Waterford did not do this then about 5 years ago changed their policy - 9 AM is when the roll call is made.

Clareboy

fishy fishy wrote: »

no, it's more of a catholic tradition and a social tradition - before we had all these nightclubs, pubs, restaurants, etc people were poorer - funerals were social events where you would have a "wake" and a shot of poiteen maybe and most of the area would turn up.

I think people can sympathize with somebody's family even if they didn't like the person - they may feel sorry for the relatives that they are in mourning. I think your simplified version of basically saying "f*ck that lot, I hated the dead one so I'll blank the lot of them" is very oversimplified and not really thought out. People go to funerals for the LIVING, not the dead. It doesn't harm anybody and as they say, you will always remember the people that DIDN'T attend a funeral. So there.

But carry on ....

I understand that for many Irish people, funerals are a social occasion and they look forward to them for that reason. I often felt like saying to those obsessive funeral goers - go away and get a life!

Both of my parents are dead, and to tell the truth, I can only barely remember some of the people who attended the funerals. I certainly do not recall the people who did not attend, and basically I don't gave a damn who came or who stayed away.

Omackeral

Clareboy wrote: »

I often felt like saying to those obsessive funeral goers - go away and get a life!

The irony

fisgon

I have a friend who calls it "the great Irish sport of funeral-going."

For many people, especially the more elderly, it is a social occasion, a place to meet others in the community, especially if they are a bit isolated.

I know a lot of people who go to the funerals of people they have only a vague connection to. A lot of it is mainly because it is expected, in small communities you'd be missed if you didn't turn up, and it would be commented on.

Clareboy

fisgon wrote: »

I have a friend who calls it "the great Irish sport of funeral-going."

For many people, especially the more elderly, it is a social occasion, a place to meet others in the community, especially if they are a bit isolated.

I know a lot of people who go to the funerals of people they have only a vague connection to. A lot of it is mainly because it is expected, in small communities you'd be missed if you didn't turn up, and it would be commented on.

Its a sad reflection on Irish society if our elderly and other isolated members of our communities have to wait for someone to die in order to meet people.

" A community only in death "

Galwayguy35

Clareboy wrote: »

I understand that for many Irish people, funerals are a social occasion and they look forward to them for that reason. I often felt like saying to those obsessive funeral goers - go away and get a life!

Both of my parents are dead, and to tell the truth, I can only barely remember some of the people who attended the funerals. I certainly do not recall the people who did not attend, and basically I don't gave a damn who came or who stayed away.

Don't know who these people are or how you know they see funerals as social occasions. You seem to have a keen interest in other peoples reasons for going to a funeral.

I don't go to many funerals, mostly people in the area when they die if I knew them well or else if a neighbour dies.

I think most people would be like me, they go to a funeral if they know the person.

Galwayguy35

I think the tradition of going to the pub and drinking a barrell of porter afterwards is dying out as well, the priest would still announce that there would be some refreshments in the local pub but most people just stay for a few drinks the first evening and after the buriel on the second day go to a hotel or restaurant for a meal.