An Irish Wake -- For the Living! Great idea, or Premature?

Tom Mee (87), a Colorado man whose family trace their roots to County Cork, had heard a lot about traditional Irish wakes from his grandparents and had always wished he could be present at his own. On Monday night, Clancy’s pub in Athy, County Kildare, made his dream come true, he attended his own “fake wake”, casket, musicians and all. (Picture left, courtesy of IrishCentral, in not a depiction of Tom Mee's 'wake.')

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/-Irish-American-family-host-a-fake... 

What do you all think about Tom Mee's party? If money was no object, would you go this route at some point -- while you are in a position to better enjoy your own 'wake'?

Tags: Athy, Colorado, Cork, Customs, Irish Wake, Kildare, Traditions

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Puts me in mind of the film "Waking Ned Devine," when they are about eulogize Ned in the church and the lottery rep comes in and the guy doing the eulogy has to eulogize someone else because the town is pretending Ned is still alive to get his lottery winnings. So he instead eulogizes his friend, who’s sitting in the front row pretending that he is Devine. He sits there beaming as his friend is talking about how great a friend he was, and how he wishes he had told him while he was alive. It's a great film.

Interesting... I know that the Irish would have a "Wake" when a family menber would leave to go to America.... I think this is sort of the same vien....

It reminds me of something Morrie Schwartz of Tuesdays With Morrie said to Mitch Albom. Morrie said that he wanted a party celebrating his life while he was still alive, reasoning, "If somebody's got something nice to say about me, I want to hear it." Healthy attitude, I'd say.

So true, Jim. And wan't that a poignant drama! Reminds me a bit of "Philadelphia, Here I Come," in that it delves so deeply and viscerally into the most elemental of our identities -- as sons, fathers, as mortal human beings.

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