Irish funeral traditions are known for their deep sense of community, faith, storytelling, and remembrance. While customs have evolved over time, many families continue to honor loved ones through familiar rituals like the wake, funeral Mass, prayers, music, and gathering with family and friends.

Whether you're attending an Irish funeral for the first time or planning one for a loved one, understanding these traditions can help you feel more prepared and appreciate the meaning behind each part of the ceremony.

In a nutshell

Many Irish funerals include:

• An Irish wake or visitation
• A funeral service, often in a Catholic church
• Prayers, hymns, and scripture readings
• Family members sharing stories and memories
• Burial or cremation following the service
• A gathering afterward with food, conversation, and remembrance

While traditions vary from family to family, Irish funerals are often centered around community, hospitality, and celebrating a life well lived.

The Irish wake

One of the most recognizable Irish funeral traditions is the Irish wake.

Traditionally held in the family home, the wake gives relatives, friends, and neighbors an opportunity to visit, offer condolences, pray together, and spend time remembering the person who has died.

Modern wakes may take place in a funeral home, church, or another gathering space, but the purpose remains the same: bringing loved ones together before the funeral.

Stories, laughter, tears, prayers, and shared meals are all common. While the occasion is naturally emotional, Irish wakes are often remembered for their warmth, hospitality, and sense of community.

The funeral service

Many Irish funerals include a Catholic funeral Mass, though services may also reflect other Christian denominations or the family's personal beliefs.

A typical service may include:

• Scripture readings
• Prayers
• Hymns
• A homily
• Eulogies 
• Final blessings

If you've never attended a funeral before, our guide to what happens at a funeral walks through what to expect from beginning to end.

Every family chooses the traditions that feel most meaningful to them. While some services closely follow religious customs, others incorporate personal touches that reflect the life of the person being honored.

Burial or cremation

Historically, burial has been the most common choice among Irish families, particularly within the Catholic tradition.

Today, however, many Irish-American families choose cremation while still holding a traditional funeral service beforehand.

Many Catholic families also wonder whether cremation is permitted by the Church. If that's a question you're exploring, you can learn more in our guide: Do Catholics Believe in Cremation?

Choosing cremation doesn't mean giving up the traditions that matter most.

Families can still gather for a wake, hold a church service, share eulogies, and honor their loved one before cremation takes place.

In fact, many families today choose a body-present funeral before cremation, allowing them to preserve the traditions that matter most while choosing cremation afterward.

Irish funeral etiquette

If you're attending an Irish funeral for the first time:

• Dress conservatively in dark or neutral colors.
• Offer your condolences to the family.
• Participate respectfully in prayers if you feel comfortable.
• Don't be surprised if the gathering includes both tears and laughter.
• Stay afterward if you're invited to the reception or meal.

Irish funerals are known for balancing grief with celebration, allowing families to remember not only the loss but also the life that was lived.

Planning an Irish funeral with Meadow

Many Irish-American families want to honor longstanding traditions while choosing a simpler alternative to a traditional burial.

Meadow's Funeral Package allows families to hold a meaningful body-present funeral before cremation while preserving the customs that are most important to their family.

Whether your service takes place at a Catholic church, another place of worship, your family's home, or a private venue, our team works closely with your clergy or officiant to coordinate the details and ensure everything runs smoothly.

Our Funeral Package includes:

• A body-present funeral before cremation
• Service at your church, home, or venue of choice
• Coordination with your priest, clergy member, or officiant
• Transportation and professional staff
• Help planning the ceremony from start to finish
• One transparent price with no surprise add-ons

Please note: Meadow specializes in funeral services followed by cremation and does not provide burial services.

If you're planning a funeral in Los Angeles County, our care team is available to answer your questions, explain your options, and help you create a service that honors your loved one and your family's traditions.

Learn more about Meadow's Funeral Package

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Irish wake?

An Irish wake is a gathering held before the funeral where family and friends come together to pray, share stories, offer condolences, and remember the person who has died.

Learn more in our guide: What Is a Wake?

Are Irish funerals always Catholic?

No. While many Irish funerals are Catholic, traditions vary depending on the family's beliefs. Modern Irish funerals may be religious, non-religious, or personalized to reflect the life of the person being honored.

Can you have an Irish funeral if you're choosing cremation?

Absolutely.

Many families choose to hold a traditional funeral service—including a wake, church ceremony, and eulogies—before cremation. A body-present funeral before cremation allows families to preserve meaningful traditions while choosing cremation afterward.

What should you wear to an Irish funeral?

Dark or neutral-colored clothing is generally appropriate. Conservative attire is customary, though some families may request something different to reflect the wishes of their loved one.