Since you're interested in Catholic singing, here's more from the biography of Adam Clarke born between 1760 and 1762 in Londonderry, Ireland. It is describing his early teens, so it would be mid 1770's & while in 3rd person, I think Clarke actually wrote it. He was from a Protestant family. I wish I could have heard this. It sounds better than a eulogy:

The Irish Papists used no singing in that part of the country, in their mass houses. Their singing was chiefly confined to funeral occasions; and seems to be the simple remains of an exceedingly remote antiquity, and to have been of Asiatic extraction; as the manner in which it was performed by the ancient Jews appears to be precisely the same with that in which it is performed by the present Irish Papists, the descendants of the aboriginal inhabitants of this country.

The Caoinian, Irish howl, or Irish cry, as some term it, has been much spoken of, but is little understood. It is a species of the alternate music already referred to; and was generally practised among the Papists in Dr. Clarke's youth; and he himself has been often present at it: it was then in a state of less perfection than it had been, and now is falling into entire disuse. The priests having displaced it, by their strong recomendation of the Gregorian chant.

Mr. Beauford, in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, gives a good account of it:-- "The body of the deceased, dressed in grave clothes, and ornamented with flowers and odoriferous herbs, was usually placed on a table or elevated place. The relations and the Caoiniers, i.e. the persons who sung the funeral songs and lamentations, ranged themselves in two divisions, one at the head, and the other at the foot of the corpse.

"The bards and croteries, i.e. those who compose the songs, and related the genealogy, &c, of the deceased, having before prepared the funeral caoinian, the chief bard of the head chorus began, by singing the first stanza, in a low, doleful tone, which was softly accompanied by the harp; at the conclusion, the last semi-chorus began the lamentation, or ullaloo, from the final note of the preceding stanza, in which they were answered by the head semi-chorus, and then both united in one general chorus.

"The chorus of the first stanza being ended, the chief bard of the first semi-chorus sung the second stanza, the strain of which was taken from the concluding note of the previous chorus; which being ended, the head semi-chorus began the gol, or lamentations, in which they were answered by the foot; and then as before, both united in the general full chorus. And thus, alternately, were the song and choruses performed during the night.

"The genealogy, rank, possessions, virtues, and vices of the deceased were rehearsed; and a number of interrogations were addressed to the dead person; as 'Why did he die?' If married, 'Whether his wife was faithful to him: his sons dutiful and good warriors?' If a matron, 'Whether her daughter were fair or chaste?' If a young man, 'Whether he had been crossed in love? or, 'If the blue-eyed maid of Erin treated him with scorn,' &c, &c.

"Each versicle of the caoinian consisted of only four feet, and each foot was commonly of two syllables; the three first required no correspondence, but the fourth was to correspond with the terminations of the other versicles."

Found in: An account of the infancy, religious and literary life, of Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.A.S. &c. / written by One who was intimately acquainted with him from his boyhood to the sixtieth year of his age ; edited by the Rev. J.B.B. Clarke, M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge. -- New-York : B. Waugh and T. Mason, for the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1833. Vol. 1, p. 35-36