Mattie Lennon on future compost and a Munster exhumation

Future compost and a Munster exhumation

By Mattie Lennon

In 1978 a man in Munster was buried twice. The late Great John B. Keane wrote a ballad, to the air of Skibbereen, on the subject, titled The Ballad of Con Carey. There is a radio documentary on the subject which is well worth listening to. Here is the link: https://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/ 2014/1107/657531-con-carey-brosna-kerry-twelve-apostles/ In the meantime here’s John B’s take on;

Come all ye loyal heroes and listen to my lay ’Tis all about Con Carey who was taken from the clay The papers all, they had a ball and the guards made up a case Not since the time of Lazarus did such a thing take place At the tender age of sixty nine Con Carey’s final breath Was drawn within a building site upon his native heath He fell to foul exposure as he homeward made his way But alas the clothes he wore that night were only work-a-day

With these upon his unwashed frame, Con Carey was interred And from the sealed-up ashen lips, no hostile word was heard But round the grave, his comrades brave were conscious of his plight And silently they did resolve to set the matter right The sun was high in the mid-day sky when the cars drew to a halt Out stepped the crew that then did view each mound and cross and vault With eyes so keen, they swept the scene where the long green grass did wave Until they found the latest mound that was Con Carey’s grave Con Carey

This fearless troop of volunteers marched through the church-yard gate With single aim it was their game Con’s corpse to decorate They lay him down in habit brown without a scratch or tear To shave his mien and make him clean for his trip to Peter’s chair Yes, to shave his mien and to make him clean so that he’d be no disgrace To Brosna gown of such great renown and to all the Irish race So that Peter and Paul and the good saints all might take poor Con in toe And that all cadavers from now on might be dressed before they go

Bury me dacent, Con once said to his comrades loyal and true See that I’m shod for the road to God since I’d do the same for you See that I’m dressed as good as the best but without a flounce or frill Then lay me down in Mountcollins town where I’ve plenty of time to kill When the deed was done, the guards came on and faced our gallant crew, “Out spoke the chief grave-digger saying what were we to do Could we look on and see poor Con in such a bad repose And send him straight to Heaven’s gate dressed up in dirty clothes.

Anew business was opening in Donegal Town and one of the owner’s friends wanted to send him flowers for the occasion. They arrived at the new business site and the owner read the card, which said: “Rest in Peace.” The owner was angry and called the florist to complain. After he had told the florist of the obvious mistake and how angry he was, the florist replied:

“Sir, I’m really sorry for the mistake, but rather than getting angry, you should imagine this - somewhere, there is a funeral taking place today, and they have flowers with a note saying:

“Congratulations on your new location!”

Whether speaking of ourselves or others the phrase “Pushing up the daisies” rolls off our tongue.

The term now as a literal meaning in the USA and it is likely to happen on this island. Recompose is a very small team who are working hard towards opening their first location in Seattle in spring 2021. According to Anna Swenson, Communications Manager, their aim is to turn corpses into compost suitable for fertilising garden soil. Last May Washington State legalised the composting of human bodies. Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation allowing the practice of “aboveground decomposition,” making Washington the first state in the USA - and likely the first place in the world, legal experts said - to explicitly allow human remains to become compost…

And Recompose will manufacture composting pods in which the corpse will be placed. Wood chips and straw will be added and oxygen pumped in to accelerate decomposition.

After about one month the body will be composted ready to,” grow new life.” I don’t know if the “new life” is superior to what is produced by ordinary compost. But I do know that in my school days there was a profusion of Blackthorns and Prunus Spinosa (I’m showing off now) in Templeboden graveyard. And the sloes from them were more succulent and juicy than anything in the surrounding fields.

According to Recompose a human body will yield a cubic yard of compost. One of the team says, “by allowing organic processes to

transform our bodies into a useful amendment we help to strengthen our relationship to the material cycles while enriching the Earth.”

The process involves placing unembalmed human remains wrapped in a shroud in a 5-foot-by-10-foot cylindrical vessel with a bed of organic material such as wood chips, alfalfa and straw,” NBC reports. “Air is then periodically pulled into the vessel, providing oxygen to accelerate microbial activity. Within approximately one month, the remains are reduced to a cubic yard of compost.”

What are the chances of the powers that be on this island, north and south, taking a leaf out of Washington State’s book?

Robert Gabriel from Gabriel and O’Donovan Funeral Directors, Bandon, Co. Cork taking delivery of their 2020 hearse from Pierce Coachbuilders

Wreath Manufacturer Gerry McDermott

Circular Road, Roscommon Mob: 086 2544126 or Mob: 086 8205215