Have You Been To A Wake?

[Scarlett]

I am researching wakes as part of a film I am making. It is actually a comedy, so I am looking for information about what happens at a wake, what funny things could happen (if any!) and what your experiences of them are. I've never been to one!

[gness]

Well I don't know how true this is, Scarlett but my mum and her sisters swear it is.....
They used to pretend to be going to a wake....there are lots in Ireland...and instead go off to a dance or to meet a boy....
When Grandad found out he made sure he went to the wakes with them....
The first was a man who had died leaning forward and couldn't be straightened properly for the viewing so was tied down by a rope....
As they all knelt around the corpse saying prayers one of the lads cut the rope and the corpse slowly began to sit up......
The screams of mum and aunties could be heard for miles..... :-)

As I say.....I don't know if this can happen but they often told us the story.....
Off out now....if I remember any more I'll come back on...x

[ummmm]

Loads and loads.

Wakes tend to be funny. You have family (sad obviously) and people you haven't seen for a long time.

Drinks flow, barriers come down and people reminiscence.

I've only been to Irish funerals though.

[-SharonA-]

I have been to a Jamaican wake. Boy it was an all nighter. Drink flowed, we ate curried mutton. A good time was had by all. I had about 2 hours sleep before staggering off to the funeral.

[Jackdaw33]

The term 'wake' has a different meaning in England. It now refers to the after gatherings after the funeral. The word derives from an old English word meaning 'watch' and was held the night before the funeral.

[jennyjoan]

well nothing was funny when my parents died. but when my dad was in his coffin - my friend who was addicted to her dog - brought the dog into the house and the dog ran around the trestles of the coffin quite a lot before she could get him to stop - friend sat there laughing - I think I was crying

[ummmm]

In Ireland/Irish we have two. Before and after.

The before is more sombre with a mass and gathering. The after is a celebration of a life that has gone.

[jennyjoan]

in the old days people were waked in the house - so conversation and drink and singing was flowing - now there is a "do" after the funeral.

[jennyjoan]

when one of my brothers came home from England for my mum's funeral - I am sitting desperately sad. Gave brother something to eat with a knife and fork. In the middle of this brother says "here you have given me a fish knife". I wanted to stab him with it.

[LadyCG]

My granddad's wake was fantastic. We all celebrated that the despotic bar stud had finally gone and we drank and laughed all afternoon and evening. There were only 11 people at his funeral, which says a lot about the "man" he was.

[ummmm]

Not the old days. Still the same now JJ.

[jennyjoan]

can't believe Scarlett you have never been to one. I could honestly say I have been to 60-100 - from when I was 10. Now I limit myself to going to "only if I know you well".

[jennyjoan]

maybe in the south but not in the north - the last 10 I have been to the "do" afterwards.

[anagram]

The last funeral that I went to was certainly an experience. It probably sounds very irreverent but it was hilarious. The minister conducting the service was late, he got stuck in traffic apparently, so he raced through the service, missing out great chunks of it. It was very Pythonesque. By comparison the wake was a very sad and sombre affair.

[pastafreak]

Most of the wakes I've been to were in the US...and mostly Italian. Lots of food, drink, some crying and more laughter. Always after the funeral.