'shoes Covered', In Ireland

[Khandro]

I've just read an article written in 1990 when the writer was travelling in Ireland & saw a sign which read, 'Shoes covered for funerals'. He doesn't explain what that meant, but points out it was in a particularly poor part of the country, (Leitrim).
Does anyone know what that could have meant please?

[Khandro]

choux; Yes good post, though the sign was seen in 1990 & the land 'owned by the English gentry' didn't really apply.

I've now been back to the article (TLS April 1990) it is mentioned twice - funerals & weddings, I quote from it;
"On our way to supper we passed a notice: 'SHOES COVERED FOR WEDDINGS', Pearse and I [this was famous Irish poet Pearse Hutchinson] stared up at it, puzzled, and one of our group said gently: 'It's for people with not too much money' "

Ref, Leitrim & poverty: it also says; "We heard Leitrim called the Cinderella of Irish counties, be-laked but little visited and so poor, 'the snipe fly over it upside down because they know they will see nothing below worth eating'. "

The article was by P.J. Kavanagh.

[wolf63]

My post at 15:46 gives a wedding example. Shoes are covered with material so that the bridesmaids would have matching shoes.