The return of the traditional Irish lament - Provides context and history for the traditional Irish lament known as the keen, examining the origins of the ritual and its history from paganism through Christianity - Explores keening's shamanic dimensions and mythological connections to the Otherworld, including the world of Faerie while drawing on archaeology and traditional Irish folklore - Looks at the practicalities of keening, considering the wake as a rite of passage, the role and burden of keeners, the structure and music of the keen, and the contemporary rebirth of the practice Aiding the revival of a powerful rite nearly lost to history, Mary Mc Laughlin reveals the ancient keening lament as a ritualized practice which bears aspects of ancient shamanism while being rooted in the pre-Christian spiritual worldview of Ireland. Mc Laughlin, a singer and teacher, draws on personal experience, interviews, and historical and academic texts to provide a comprehensive and inspiring study
