Led by University of Staffordshire’s Dr Sharon Mallon, the British Academy-funded study explores how people in Northern Ireland now “do death” – and what changing funeral, wake, burial and cremation practices tell us about identity, community and belonging.

The idea for the research came from Sharon’s own experience of noticing how much had changed between her father’s death 25 years ago and when her mother died more recently.

“Things have changed massively,” commented the Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Wellbeing. “It made me think about what we carry forward, what changes and what we risk losing if these stories aren’t recorded.

“This is an opportunity to document the ordinary lives of people across Northern Ireland and the rituals that matter to them. The ways we gather, say goodbye, care for one another and remember those who have died are an important part of our shared history.”

Working alongside historian Dr Peter Morgan Barnes, Sharon is inviting members of the public in Northern Ireland to share their own experiences.

The researchers will travel across Northern Ireland several times over the next year. They will next be interviewing participants across the week starting on Sunday 25 October. They are looking to speak to people aged 18 and over who have attended a funeral or wake in Northern Ireland within the past five years.

The project, Death Practices in Transition: Meaning, Ritual, and Change in Northern Ireland, also offers opportunities to preserve participants’ accounts, with their permission, in public archives so that future generations can learn from them.

“Halloween has long been associated with transition and the idea that the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. It feels like a fitting moment to hear from people across Northern Ireland about their experiences of funerals and the rituals that help us remember those who have died, navigate loss and make sense of life and death.

“Interviews will last approximately 30 to 40 minutes and can be conducted online or we are happy to travel to see people. No specialist knowledge is required, we are just interested in hearing about people’s experiences and observations.”

Some changes to funeral practices resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, with restrictions affecting how families and communities could gather to mourn and support one another.

The research looks at how practices have evolved and how much meaning given to these rituals is changing.

Sharon added: “Funerals are about much more than what happens to the body. They give families and communities an opportunity to say goodbye, remember someone’s life, share grief and support each other.

“We want to record these personal accounts, including the small details and family traditions that might otherwise go unrecorded. If we don’t document these practices now, some of them risk disappearing completely.”

Anyone interested in taking part can contact Dr Sharon Mallon at sharon.mallon@staffs.ac.uk for more information and details of the study.