'Irish wake remains the touchstone of all Irish society' - filmmaker
'The Irish wake "remains the touchstone of all Irish culture", particularly in rural areas among the farming community, according to filmmaker, bardic poet, and Achill islander Kevin Toolis
Toolis is also the director of a festival dedicated to the ancient arts of the Irish wake, which will take place at the Old Convent, Mulranny, Co. Mayo, today (Saturday, May 3).
Speaking about the inspiration for the festival, Toolis said: "We all watch TV, the Premier League, shop on Amazon, and go on holiday to Spain.
"The world can feel like it’s getting to be the same all over until you get to one small town in Mayo, Galway, or Leitrim and there are 200 people queueing in the rain outside the local funeral parlour at 7:00pm to see the deceased, or sitting up all night at the wake."
"You don't get that concern, that mortal solidarity, in England or Europe. Most English people have never seen a dead body in their lives. Death is denied, hidden away."
According to Toolis, who won a BAFTA for his 2013 movie 'Complicit', if the tradition of the wake disappears in Ireland, "we lose a whole part of what it means to be Irish",
`'We are fighting back to save our Irish souls. The Keening Festival is all about telling the world why we need to keep the wake going and celebrating the arts and traditions of the oldest rite of humanity."
Now in its second year, the festival is expected to attract people from all over the world. The programme includes talks by Toolis and Dr Clodagh Tait, author of 'Death, Burial and Commemoration in Ireland 1550-1650', as well as keening workshops and wake story-sharing experiences.
An evening concert will feature the world premiere of specially composed works, sean nós laments, original bardic poetry, and classic traditional tunes, from Toolis, sean nós singer Caitriona Ní Cheannabháin, international composer Peter Reynolds, and other musicians.
“The wake remains a defining feature of Irish society, a unique powerful tool which eases the grief and sense of loss many feel with the death of their loved ones.
"The current road might feel a little rocky, but it is only right that we continue to celebrate these ancient rituals and rites in the world's only wake festival.”
As well as organising the Keening Festival, Toolis is also the author of 'My Father's Wake: How the Irish Teach Us to Live, Love and Die'.
“Across the world, people always say the Irish do death well and that is because of the wake. So it's great to be working with Mulranny Arts, Mayo Day, and Mayo County Council here at home in Mayo, where the wake is still going strong," the festival director said.
“We have had interest from all over Ireland and abroad in attending this unique festival celebrating the oldest rite of Irish culture.
"We also take the festival on the road with a showband, the Wonders of the Wake, to showcase and celebrate the wake in sean nós, song, harp, bardic poetry, and storytelling.
"We are telling the story of the oldest faiths of mankind. We have played in London, Finland, Inishturk, and across Ireland, "Toolis stated.
