Joe_Offer - it's been nice reading your replies here. I no longer practise as a Catholic but once raised in that faith, one is often "culturally Catholic" for the rest of their life. I was part of my own Parish's music ministry from the time I could play a child-sized guitar. being born in 1964, I came of age at the height of the Catholic Folk-Mass. Even then when things were considered to be "looser" in format, we still had the rules you describe.


Anyway - in our family, the place for Danny boy was at the Funeral Home on the last night of the Wake or at the semi-formal banquet which followed the service at the cemetry. For Irish-Americans, there areplanty of places and moments during the standard funeral tradtions to insert a favorite old tune outside of the Mass.

As for nice hymns to sing at a Funeral mass - I've always been partial to 'Wherever You Go" by Gregopry Norbet formerly of Weston Priory. Even though it was written as a wedding song, it is appropriate at funerals.

These days I hear two selections from Faure's requiem at funeral masses: Sanctus and In Paradisium. The In Paradisium is the same section of the Mass that the Danny Boy tune is used for and is usually the recessional. it's a very lovely and peaceful way to end a Funeral Mass. if you aren't familiar with the work, I recommend it. It's not at all sad and ponderous. The music is angelic. By the time the In Paradisium plays, you feel as if a great weight has slipped off your back and you are floating. I've sung the the choir for this piece in concert several times and it's a very moving experience.