Seumas Mhigi Shandraidh 'ic Dhòmhnaill
Benacadie Pond, Cape Breton County
the wake house
Nuair a dh’eugadh cuideigin, am faire anns an taigh:
GD: Dur a dh’eugadh duine, dè bhiodh iad a’ deanadh dìreach air a mhionaid a dh’eug duine, dè bhiodh iad a’ deanadh?
SMN: Uell, a’ chiad rud, dh’fheumadh thu a’ sagart fhaighinn.
GD: Nuair a bha an duine an spàirn a’ bhàis. .
SMN: ...... mun do dh’eug e.
GD: Seadh, yeah. Agus dè a dheanadh an sagart?
SMN: Bheireadh e dha na rites – the last rights.No, chuireadh e an ol’ air.
GD: ..... Sin e, yeah. Agus nuair a dh’eugadh an duine an uair sin, an robh boireannaich no firionnaich sònraichte anns a’ pharaiste a thigeadh gus a’ chorp a ghlanadh agus a dheiseileachadh?
SMN: agus [????] a chur oirre.
GD: Sheadh, bha feadhainn ann a bha na b’fheàrr na feadhainn eile.
SMN: Bha.
GD: Cò an fheadhainn a bhiodh mun cuairt a’ seo? A bheil cuimhn’ agad air ainm duine sam bith a dheanadh an obair sin?
SMN: Daniel Mac An t-Saoir seo a bha shuas air a’ chnoc. Bha roinn aca mun cuairt.
GD: ......... a bha math air an obair. Yeah. Agus chuireadh iad an fheusag ma ‘se fireannach a bh’ann, chuireadh iad an fheusag dhe.
SMN: [????] Ach chumadh an fheusag air fàs.
GD: Aye, chumadh, chumadh. Chuala mi siud. Chuala mi siud. Agus na h-ìnean cuideachd agus am falt.
SMN: Agus am falt.
GD: Yeah, yeah, chuala mi siud. Chuala mi siud. Agus an cuala sibh na seann fheadhainn a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn mar a bhiodh iad a’ cumail faire nuair a bhiodh faire aca ‘staigh? Robh daonnan ciste aca, no robh faire ann idir far am biodh an duine dìreach air bùird?
SMN: Bhiodh e air a chur air bùird gus an oidhche mun do rachadh a thiodhlacadh gu rachadh e a’s a’ chiste. Nuair a bha a’ chiste air a deanamh [?????? ] na daoine a’ deanamh na ciste.
GD: Seadh, seadh. Ach, nuair a bhiodh iad a’ deanadh na ciste, am biodh an fhaire fhathast ann agus an corp air bùird, no ...........
SMN: Sheadh.
GD: Dè a chuireadh iad fo na bùird – baraillean?
SMN: Tha mi ‘creidsinn ........ bhitheadh iad anns an aon àird.
GD: Bhitheadh, bhitheadh. Agus ‘robh cleachdadh sam bith eile aca? Dè bhiodh a’ còmhdachadh a’ chuirp?
SMN: An corp, bha e air dreasadh .......
GD: ......... ann an deise no dreasa no dè a bh’ann ..........
SMN: ........... no gu dè a bh’ann
GD: Cha cuireadh iad anart gu feum? - Anart? Cha chuireadh iad anart air a’ chorp?
SMN: Chan fhaca mi ‘riamh e.
The wake house:
GD: When a person would die, what would they do right in that first minute that a person died, what would they do?
SMN: Well, the first thing, you'd have to get the priest.
GD: When the person was in the death agony.
SMN: ..... before he died.
GD: Yes, yeah. And what would the priest do?
SMN: He'd give him "the rites" – "the last rites". Or, "he'd put oil on him".
GD: That's it, yeah. And when a person would die then, were there particular women or men in the parish who would come clean and prepare the body?
SMN: and to put [???] on them.
GD: Yes, there were some who were better than others. SMN: Yes.
GD: Who were the people who were around here. Do you remember the name of anyone who would do that work? SMN: This Daniel MacIntyre who was up on the hill. There was a number of them around.
GD: ...... who were good at the work. Yeah. And they'd shave the beard if it was a man, they'd take the beard off him.
SMN: [????] But the beard would keep growing.
GD: Aye, yes, yes. I heard that. And did you hear the old people talking about how they would hold a wake when they'd have the wake at home? Did they always have coffin, or was there ever a wake where the person would be just on boards?
SMN: He'd be put on boards until the night before he'd be buried when he would go in the coffin. When the coffin would be made [?????] the people making the coffin.
GD: Yes, yes. But when they would be making the coffin, would the wake still be going on and the body on boards, no ....?
SMN: Yes.
GD: What would they put under the boards? Barrels?
SMN: I believe so. They would be the same height.
GD: Yes, yes. And did they have any other practice? What would be covering the corpse?
SMN: The corpse, it was dressed .......
GD: In a suit or in a dress no whatever .......
SMN: ....... or whatever there was.
GD: They wouldn't use a shroud? - A shroud? They wouldn't put a shroud on the corpse?
SMN: I never saw it.
Transcribed and translated by Hector MacNeil.
