Funerals In Ireland Today

Download or read book Funerals in Ireland Today written by Charles N. Kiely and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The present work is an exploration of the traditions, customs, beliefs and influences associated with death, which brings us to the funeral in Ireland today. The research will be carried out from a comparative and an historical perspective. In the Celtic understanding of life, time is not a straight line that comes to an end but, rather, a circle to be completed. For nearly 2,000 years, Ireland has been regarded by the rest of Europe as a society existing on the fringes of European civilisation. This means we are somewhat removed and isolated from our fellow Europeans, but it also brings a constancy, meaning that we hold fast to our traditions, customs and beliefs. However, over time outside influences from other civilizations have come to have a bearing on these traditions, customs and beliefs, as will be shown in this thesis. As life becomes increasingly busy, each day there is an even greater need to realise that it is from the past that we have originated. Our present situation results from the cultural heritage that has formed us. This inherited ancestral tradition influences the important events of our lives. Folklore passed onto us through the oral tradition of our ancestors is a vital part of our Irish culture: through it, a living link with the past is formed. Death and dying have become fashionable topics in recent times. Although most people may not be inclined to discuss their mortal condition in casual conversation, medical and religious professionals, philosophers and social scientists have dealt at length with the problems of defining death, with treating the terminally ill, and with understanding grief and mourning. This work seeks to explore the subject of death in Ireland and the funeral. This thesis of four chapters begins with a consideration of the subject of death and the various schools of thought and understanding associated with it, and explores the funeral and burial in a comparative and historical context. Chapter 2 is a study of the Irish wake: the customs, traditions, beliefs and folklore. Our belief systems are handed on from one generation to the next, and, therefore, an overview is given of the area of mythology and its influence on Irish life. Chapter 3 is a contemporary study of funerals in Ireland: here, I discuss emerging trends, especially the rituals important to the Irish people. In chapter 4 {u2013} an ethnographic study {u2013} I show, through my ministry as a Catholic priest, how the funeral rituals studied in chapter 3 are played out in the Irish parish and Irish families today.