ONE MAN’S TWO GRAVES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21244, 27 January 1931, Page 12

ONE MAN’S TWO GRAVES.

AN IRISH FUNERAL. Here is the true story of an Irish funeral, as telegraphed to the Sunday Express by a correspondent at Strabane, on the frontier between Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State:— William M'Cay was a wealthy old farmer, and a Protestant. With him lived his nephew, Sam M'Clintock, also a Protestant. Some years ago Sam became a Roman . Catholic. A short time ago his uncle followed suit. And the other day old William M'Cay died; Young Sam M'Clintock told all the neighbours that his uncle would be buried in a Catholic grave. Other relatives declared the burial would be Protestant in form. And there were equal grounds for believing' both, for a grave was dug for the old man in the Catholic churchyard and another in the Protestant one. A coffin was ordered by the Catholic nephew, and another by the Protestant relatives. On the day of the funeral there was great excitement. The same road led from the dead man’s house to both cemeteries. The road was packed with people. The Protestant clergyman arrived at the Protestant churchyard with his prayer book. The Catholic priest arrived at the Catholic churchyard with his surplice. The last journey was, indeed, beset with doubts. So ugly was the situation that a large force of police, drawn from several towns, guarded the dead man’s house, the funeral route, and both graveyards. Accompanied by two solicitors, two brothers of the dead man arrived at his house. In a few moments they emerged carrying a coffin —Sam M’Clintock’s Catholic coffin. They carried it up the road toward two churchyards, followed by the police and by a great crowd. They came to the entrance of the Protestant churchyard. They had another mile and a-half to walk to the Catholic churchyard. What would they do? Thdy entered the Protestant churchyard; they heard the Protestant burial service spoken; they lowered the coffin into a Protestant grave. And everybody went home.