Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Diary of a Tour in 1732 through parts of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland (Author: John Loveday)
Entry 18
Tuesday, 20. — Thomastown, ye Seat of George Matthew Esq; is one Mile hence to ye left, in ye Road to Tipperary; 'tis suppos'd there are more Improvements in Planting about this Seat than any where else in Ireland; large Plantations of Fir, — and ye Water brought with no small Charge from a great distance: A ridge of Mountain runs-on to ye Garden-Front, Black Gravel in ye Garden-Walks. In ye Afternoon, at Goulding, (where ye Weather detain'd Us) We heard a strange Yell; and looking-out, there was a Coffin, a white Sheet spread over it, attended by a good number of people to a Malt-house opposite to our Inn. About 7 o'th' Clock I went into ye
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place, every thing was preparing for ye Solemnity; at one end of ye Room was a Table spread with a white Cloth, on it Candles lighted, — and Spriggs of Rosemary, Some stuck in Candlesticks &c. with a Plate of Half-Pence: on one side stood a Stool, on which a Bowl of Tobacco & Pipes; on t'other side ye Table, was ye Coffin on ye ground, ye Lid off, but ye Body cover'd; round about, sat Men, Women, &c. This They call a Wake,33 or Waking a Corps; ye poorer Catholics always do thus, — in their own Cabbins, if large enough; but This of ye Deceas'd not being so commodious, They borrow'd my Landlady's empty Malt-house: They smoke & howl interchangeably all night, sitting by ye Corps; in ye morning I'm told their Priest comes, & performs some ceremonies, & then They carry ye Dead to it's Grave, ye Priest attending to ye Church-Yard Gate. Every one that comes to ye Wake, except very poor, pays his Half-penny; ye expence of ye Candles & Tobacco is defray'd with This. I paid my Penny for intruding, & was offer'd a Pipe of Tobacco. One Woman softly groan'd-out — ahone, ahone, ahone. From Goulding to Cashel, at ye Crown & Thistle, 2 Miles.