Burial Custom of the Treaceys of
Enniscorthy
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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.
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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