Sorry for your loss 4leafplanet. May the spirit of the heights lend your mother grace in her journey passing into the west.
We have a mixture of customs here in Scotland. We lament a birth (lullabys are very dirge-like here) as the child has come from a place of joy to a world of toil. At a funeral we rejoice as the soul returns to the island of everlasting youth midst the great waters of the west.
There is an appropriate time for lamenting, after the proper period has elapsed after passing (3 to 7 days depending on the area) - at the funeral procession, and they do this with much gusto and even professionalism. The clan's greatest keeners and wailers would lead this ritualised keening as they followed the procession.
At the burial itself a poem, or more often song would be sung. One specially composed or a traditional lament. If specially composed it followed traditional lines though. The refrain (weary weary oh, so sad I am without thee) is used as a chorus, and the whole funeral party will sing this together.
The Corries do a version of Griodal Cridhe - a gaelic lament made famous by a Glen Lyon widow. They sing partly in English and partly in Gaelic. "Bheir Mi Oh" sounds like "Wearie Oh" or "Veer Mi Oh", depending on the area the gaelic speaker comes from.
GLENLYON LAMENT
Weary, weary, up the hill,
Weary doon the brae,
Weary by yon riverside,
Where we will meet again.
(weary oh refrain)
Gone where but the west wind blaws,
Gone where but the snow ne'er fa's,
I would sleep where sleepeth ‘ee,
Where the violets grow.
A lot of love songs have the Bheir Mi Oh refrain in them, perhaps implying the loved one is a person that is lost to the west.
THE FAIRY CHASE
I left my darling lying here, a-lying here, a-lying here,
I left my darling lying here, to go and gather blaeberries.
(weary oh refrain)
I’ve lost my darling baby O!
I’ve found the wee brown otter’s track,
(weary oh refrain)
But ne’er a trace of baby O!
I found the track of the swan on the lake,
(weary oh refrain)
But not the track of baby O!
I found the track of the yellow fawn,
but could not trace my baby O!
(weary oh refrain)
I found the trail of the mountain mist,
But ne’er a trace of baby O!
Personally I would like the Afrocelts to play at my funeral, even though their songs are a mix of cultures. "Eistigh Liomsa Sealad" is a perfect keening. "Release" is appropriate as it was written to commemorate a band member who had passed into the west, and features Sinead, it was described as "Proof of the healing powers of music and Sinead's amazing shamanic qualities. Their track "Mother" might be more personal for you, though it is sung in Kinyarwanda.
RELEASE
Don’t argue amongst yourselves
Because of the loss of me
I’m sitting amongst yourselves
Don’t think you can’t see me
Don’t argue amongst yourselves
Because of the loss of me
I haven’t gone anywhere
But out of my body
Reach out and you’ll touch me
Make effort to speak to me
Call out and you’ll hear me
Be happy for me
Don’t argue amongst yourselves
Because of the loss of me
I haven’t gone anywhere
But out of my body
Reach out and you’ll touch me
Make effort to speak to me
Call out and you’ll hear me
Be happy for me
Reach out and you’ll touch me
Make effort to speak to me
Call out and you’ll hear me
Be happy for me
MOTHER - ENGLISH LYRICS
Sun, sun goes down
There is no pain here
Beside her
Beside her
Somewhere deeper I hear her
As from a dream
And it's all that I can keep
Of what might have been
I've fallen down and I'm in your space
And I know that the time has come
To feel your grace
The Clanada Gadellica has collected together a lot of celtic funeral customs, if those interest you. As close as the stone is to the earth, so may the blessing of the gentle protector be as close to you in your times of need.
