09/28/2026
You’ve been invited to a wake. Don’t worry. Patrick is already dead. 😉
But if you're expecting 90 minutes of solemn mourning, you may be surprised.
In 19th-century Ireland, a wake brought family, friends and neighbors together to sit with the deceased and comfort the family—but the long hours were also filled with food and drink, music, stories, laughter...and games.
And some of those games could get downright silly. Take Shuffle the Brogue. Everyone tries to secretly pass a shoe from person to person while one unfortunate soul attempts to discover who has it. Sounds innocent enough.
The historical version was not always quite so innocent. 😂
There were riddles and word games, tricks, contests, matchmaking games and enough horseplay to make us wonder how everyone survived until the funeral.
At Dining with the Dead, we'll step into the world of an Irish wake—not simply to talk about the traditions, but to experience some of them.
We'll gather around the table for food, traditional music and stories, raise a glass to poor Patrick, discover some wonderfully peculiar Irish beliefs and customs, and play a few wake games ourselves. We've selected the ones least likely to require medical attention.
And yes...Patrick will be joining us. ⚰️
Friday & Saturday, October 9 & 10
1:00 & 3:00 p.m.
$25 per person or $20 for Friends and OHC members
Space is limited and registration is open. Please register at: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/dining-with-the-dead-remembrance-revelry-and-the-rites-of-an-irish-farewell or call 937.773.2522 to register. Leave a message if no one answers and we will get back to you.
Sorry, Patrick won't be able to. 😉
Come hungry. Come curious. Come prepared to laugh. And do pay your respects to Patrick
AI generated image is created with actual photos taken by staff and available online illustrations.
