2014

Limited edition book by a young Irish graphic designer. Wakes documents and tells the stories of wake traditions in Ireland’s history and people’s personal experiences at them. Irish wakes in rural and urban Ireland where once the scene of both sadness and fun as people gathered to celebrate the life of the deceased.
 
The people in this book tell of there experiences at wakes and thus give witness to great changes in which Irish people in the past and the present approach and deal with death. Traditions were upheld to maintain the culture of the event in the area and these traditions and games differed from area to area. People enjoyed wakes and integrated this into a celebration of life, death and community, which resulted in a normality about the discussion of death in daily life.

William Doherty recently graduated from the National College of Art & Design in Ireland with a First Class BA Honours in Visual Communications and Art and Design History.