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 Burial Custom of the Treaceys of Enniscorthy

 

 

 

The Corrig church and graveyard at St. John’s Enniscorthy, where the Tracys were reputed to be buried.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Closer to the residences of the Tracys and to the townland of Craane, would have been the old church and graveyard at Kilcarbry, the remains of which were not visible in the 1840’s.

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Ancient Mode of Interment

To the Editor of the Independent

Sir - As to the manners and customs of our ancestors are sinking into oblivion, may I tresspass on your columns for the following account of a singular, and picturesque custom of burying their dead, observed by some families, of a respectable class of peasantry in this immediate neighbourhood, which custom here was confined solely, for at least a century back, to some families named Tracy, with their connections, Doyles, &c., and a family named Daly, in no way connected with the Tracy family. The grave being dug deep, stones were placed within the grave at each end, about 2½ feet in height, the grave was then neatly lined with soil or grass scrolls of about 2½ feet in width, and of sufficient length to extend from the surface to, and on the bottom of the grave, fastened to the bank with skewers of wood, next a bed of dry grass and moss was laid in the grave, raised at the head like a pillow - the corpse wrapped closely in a sheet, was carried on a broad plank to the grave, where being deposited on the bed of grass, the plank was laid over it, being supported at each end by the stones before mentioned, which kept it about 1½ feet above the corpse; next, the upper part of the scrolls were unfastened from the side and carefully laid over the plank, the end scrolls in like manner. The grave was then filled up with earth, and covered with a scroll in the ordinary way. The last so buried thus was John Doyle, of craan, about the year 1818, in St. John's church yard, adjoining this town, the burying place of those families. The grave was prepared and the funeral conducted by the Tracys. Since then the younger branches of the family, having the conducting of funerals, have fallen into the habits of their neighbours. Caoineing, or keening, was not customary at those funerals. Having been at funerals in remote districts of the south and west of Ireland, where the corpse was attended to the grave by caoiners (keeners), I never knew or heard then, of any family voluntarily burying their dead without coffins. Now, as we are a mixed race in this county, - the descendants of old Irish, Danes, Welsh, Anglo-Normans, &c., you, or any of your numerous readers, giving information, of the origin of the above custom will much oblige.

Your humble servant,

J.P.

Enniscorthy, Feb 17, 1848.

Wexford Independent of 19 February 1848

 

 

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“The Priory of St. John’s near to Enniscorthy.

This religious establishment was founded at St. John’s on the small river Urrin, near to its junction with the Slaney, about one mile south of Enniscorthy, and eleven N.W. of Wexford. …

In this old grave yard was observed, until about a quarter of a century ago, a burial custom of some families which we have never heard of elsewhere. Three families in comfortable circumstances, of the names of Tracy, Doyle and Daly, with others their immediate connections buried their dead without coffins. The body being brought in a well made coffin to the edge of the grave, the friends assembled around, and the body, the face for a moment being uncovered in order that they might take the last look at the lamented departed, was laid in the grave, previously prepared with great care. The grave was made more than six feet deep, and at each end a course of stone work, without mortar, was raised full two feet high. Much attention was given to the providing of tough green sods, cut about seven feet long and about two wide, from the alluvial banks of the Slaney, several of which being rolled up close by, were conveyed to the graveyard, and the grave then neatly lined with them from top to bottom, a smooth one covering it perfectly below. The grave thus presented a smooth green appearance, dry grass and moss were strewn thickly in it, and a pillow of the same raised the head, as it were in bed. The corpse in its ample winding sheet, was then removed from the coffin, and laid in the grave – a stout plank or two, then placed lengthwise from the stonework at head and foot, and not in contact with the body, and the green sods, the grass turning downwards, carefully folded over all. The grave was then filled in the usual manner, and covered with the ordinary green sod, and the coffin was left for the use of the first poor person who might require it. No coiming was ever practiced beyond the suppressed working of natural grief. The last ceremony of this kind which  took place here, was at the funeral of John Doyle of Craan [Craane], but his family, and the others who up to that time were strict observers of it, have since conformed to the practice of their neighbours, and now bury in coffins. No reason has come down in local story, of the origin of the custom.”

Wexford Independent of May 3, 1856, page 1.

 

Notes and Queries Vol. 1 2nd S. (23) June 7 1856 Page 455-6

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“Burial without Coffins. -- correspondent of  “Notes and Queries” (London), June 7th, 1856, page 455, who signed himself “E.C., Wexford,” wrote as follows : I beg to say that here the fact (of burying without coffins) although now totally obsolete, is known to have existed. In the Barony of Forth, the celebrated Anglo-Norman colony planted in the days of Strongbow, is situated the Church of Lady's Isle, formerly the Lough Derg of the South of Ireland, as a pilgrimage, and therefore frequented from all parts. I have heard from credit-worthy persons in my early days that they remembered bodies having been brought from great distances to be buried there, who had made it a dying request to be buried in the Lady's Isle without a coffin, the coffin to be left in the ruins of the old church for the use of the first person requiring one. This was always looked on by the people of the locality as an act of humiliation and devotion on the part of the deceased, but was not a general custom, nor is it in tradition as having ever been imitated in any of the burial places of the Barony.

“In the graveyard of the Augustinian Abbey of St. John, near Enniscorthy, in the Barony of Scarawalsh, I learn that the following custom of burial was observed until about the year 1818, by certain families, named Tracey and their connexions, the Doyles, the Dalys, and others, of the townland of Croan and adjoining. The body being brought to the graveyard in a well made coffin, the friends assembled around, and the face was uncovered in order that they might take a farewell look at the loved departed. The body was then taken from the coffin and laid in the grave with great care, and at each end was raised a course of stone work, without mortar, 18 or 30 inches high, according to circumstances. Much attention was paid to providing tough green sods cut from the adjoining alluvial bank of the river Slaney, and several of them about 7 feet long and 2 wide, each being well rolled up were conveyed to the graveyard, and with them the grave was carefully and neatly lined from bottom to top, one the head of the grave being laid lengthwise over the ends of the others. In this green chamber was strewn moss in the season, dry grass and flowers, and a pillow of the same supported the head of the corpse when laid on this its last earthly bed. One or more stout plants were then placed longitudinally and, the green sods of the sides turned over and downwards, completed all but the filling in the usual way with the clay. The mound being covered with the original green sods of the grave prayers were said without any keening or any wailing but the feeling what natural grief gave utterance to. A particular solemnity is said to have marked every occasion of this kind.

“The last person at whose funeral this form was observed was named John Doyle, who was a bachelor, but all his friends since have conformed to the custom of the neighbourhood, and use coffins.  J.C.”

Journal of the South-East of Ireland Archaeological Society Volune 15

 

“Down to about half a century since, the families of Tracy, Doyle and Daly, with their connexions, whose burial-place was the graveyard of the Prioy of St. John, about a mile south of Enniscorthy, in the county of Wexford, buried their dead without coffins: the corpse being brought to the grave in  a well-made coffin, and the grave being carefully lined with fresh green sods, the body, wrapped solely in its winding-sheet, was placed therin, the head being supported by a pillow of dried grass and moss; more sods, supported by planks, were placed over it, with the grassy side down, and the grave was then filled in as usual. – See “Wexford Independent” of May 3, 1856.”

Urban, Sylvanus (1857) The Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Review. Vol III. P.608n. John Henry & James Parker, London.

 

In the 8th January 1867 edition of the Limerick Reporter, there is an article entitled "Singular mode of burial of the Traceys of Wexford. - The English and Irish Traceys" which may have been written by Thomas Stanley Tracey.

The Waterford Citizen, notices a custom still remembered as having been practiced in Lady's Island...of bringing bodies "from great distances to be interred there, who had made it a dying request to be buried in the Lady's Island without a coffin - the coffin to be left in the ruins of the old church for the first poor person requiring one. This was always looked on by the people of the locality as an act of humiliation and devotion on the part of the deceased, but was not a general custom, nor is it in tradition as having been initiated in any other of the barony." It then goes on to described the burial custom at Enniscorthy.

 

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“Singular Burial Custom near Enniscorthy

In the grave-yard of the old Priory Church of St. John, near Enniscorthy (Kilcarberry) was observed, until about 1825, a singular burial custom, rarely, if ever met elsewhere. Three families in comfortable circumstances, named Tracey, Doyle and Daly, with others their connections buried their dead here without coffins. The bodies being brought in a well made coffin to the edge of the grave, the friends assembled around, and the body - the face for a few moments being uncovered in order to take their last look at the lamented departed was laid in the grave, previously prepared with great care. The grave was made more than six feet deep and long to suit the purpose – and at each end a course of stone-work, without mortar, was raised over two feet high. Much care was given to providing a tough green sod, cut about seven feet long, and about two wide, from the alluvial banks of the Slaney. Several of these being rolled up, were conveyed to the grave-yard, and the grave then neatly lined with them and covering the bottom. The grave thus presented a smooth green appearance – dry grass and some flowers were strewn thickly in it, and a pillow of the same raised the head as it were in bed. The corpse in its simple, but ample winding-sheet, was then removed from the coffin, and laid in its last resting place, the grave – a stout plank or two was then placed length-ways from the stonework at head and foot, but not touching the body, and the green sods, the grass downwards, carefully folded over all. The grave was then filled in the usual manner, and covered with the ordinary green sod, whilst the coffin was left for the use of the first poor person who might require it. No ‘coinin’ was ever practiced, or lamination beyond the suppression of the workings of natural grief. The last ceremony of this kind we can hear of having taken place here, was at the funeral of John Doyle of Craan, but since this time his family and the others who had observed their custom, have conformed to the forms and usages of their neighbours, and bury in coffins. No tradition of the origin of the custom now survives.”

Griffiths, George (1877) The chronicles of the county of Wexford to 1877, Enniscorthy.

 

 

Last update: 05 October 2016