Grumpy Corner

Dug one grave before in longford 2 years ago with 2 uncles and cousins. One bottle of whiskey was deemed sufficient.
I had never dug a grave before. The dead man's wife died around 1987 or so and was in the same grave. I presumed we would just be digging down to a certain depth so as not to come into contact with the buried body. Not the case to my amazement. We dug the whole way down to the body. The coffin had decomposed. Put all the bones into the fertilizer bags and left them beside the soil.
On the day of the burial then the bones were just horsed in on top of the coffin. To quite a clatter even though there was a mat on top of the coffin.

Cremation for me after that. There's a lot to be said for going up the chimney.

Boxty is this the way it's done countrywide?

johnnos bulls wrote:Dug one grave before in longford 2 years ago with 2 uncles and cousins. One bottle of whiskey was deemed sufficient.
I had never dug a grave before. The dead man's wife died around 1987 or so and was in the same grave. I presumed we would just be digging down to a certain depth so as not to come into contact with the buried body. Not the case to my amazement. We dug the whole way down to the body. The coffin had decomposed. Put all the bones into the fertilizer bags and left them beside the soil.
On the day of the burial then the bones were just horsed in on top of the coffin. To quite a clatter even though there was a mat on top of the coffin.

Cremation for me after that. There's a lot to be said for going up the chimney.

Boxty is this the way it's done countrywide?

up here we would tend to dig below the decomposed coffin if necessary but any bones found would be well hidden away in the side of the grave so as not to cause any distress - i remember digging one with my father and it was a double plot - in the process of digging we came across the bones of the 7 occupants of the grave the oul boy placed the 7 skulls next to each other at the side of the grave, whilst i was digging it almost felt like i was being watched very eerie indeed i must say.

We wouldn't consume any beverages during the digging process but as the local was only 100 yards across the road we often left it in a sorry state

Well I've only dug graves in our local cemetery but that's the way of it all right. Sure what's the harm in it?

I never came across such a morbid crowd in me life!! Here in civilized Dublin its done professionally - we rarely have wakes and will not entertain funerealness of a Sunday - either removal or burial. Respect? No - unions!!

I remember when the Da died (25 years ago at the end of this month RIP) an ould uncle by marriage from Cork threw a clump of sod on the coffin - never saw it before or since. But I was at an ex's Dads funeral around Aughnacliffe/Ballinalee in Longford many moons ago. The man - a gent - was buried in the shadow of the church and directly after the graveside prayers the locals filled in the grave while all stood around. Very final I thought.... and no escape. Can't say I liked it tbh!

Jayo Cluxton wrote: The man - a gent - was buried in the shadow of the church and directly after the graveside prayers the locals filled in the grave while all stood around. Very final I thought.... and no escape. Can't say I liked it tbh!

I think it's a wonderful custom tbh. The family prevented me from doing it the day of the Boss's burial and I gave in.

He would have liked it done the traditional way I think and I have the odd small regret that I surrendered.

I don't know just the clattering of the bones against the coffin and then looking in and seeing the hip/pelvis on top of the coffin. It could perhaps have been done a little more gracefully and when people had left.

Irish wakes are a real treasure. Especially up in donegal, where they don't have removals. I find removals pointless and just gives people an excuse not to go to the funeral or wakehouse.

Anyway I've to go on strike on tuesday week, coincidentally outside a dole office. Not looking forward to it.

johnnos bulls wrote:Anyway I've to go on strike on tuesday week, coincidentally outside a dole office. Not looking forward to it.

If the hoors had any bottle at all they'll stone the sh1te outa' ye and proper order too. You have to go on strike,Jesus, you couldn't make this stuff up. Unfortunate sods outside the rollie and you out on strike, marching in ye're crombie overcoats.

Jim Larkin never envisaged this. Johnno badly exposed here....

Boxtyeater wrote:

johnnos bulls wrote:Anyway I've to go on strike on tuesday week, coincidentally outside a dole office. Not looking forward to it.

If the hoors had any bottle at all they'll stone the sh1te outa' ye and proper order too. You have to go on strike,Jesus, you couldn't make this stuff up. Unfortunate sods outside the rollie and you out on strike, marching in ye're crombie overcoats.

Jim Larkin never envisaged this. Johnno badly exposed here....

Johnno has his trousers on.
Me **** it i'm grumpy tonight

Something that really gets on my nerves is when people have to point out that the "The original was a lot better" when talking about a song, or that "the book was a lot better" at the mention of a movie!

1 - That's a matter of opinion, not all original songs are better than the cover version!

2 - Books usually are better than the movie due to the detail you can get into a book compared to a movie!!!

People who decide it is perfectly acceptable to play an electric guitar (very badly) in the "QUIET room."