Seamus Hession

Seamus Hession, born in 1948, is a born and bred Sligo man. His father, who came from Mayo, had a furniture shop and was a cabinetmaker in the 1940s. He made boxes and stairs and eventually moved on to the making of coffins. When Seamus became involved in the business, he started work at the bottom, sweeping floors and gathering shavings. He details the process of making a coffin from start to finish, from getting the right wood, to planing and sanding and finally putting the coffin together and finishing it off with a sealer and lacquer. Also discussed are the different sizes of coffins and the demand for each type, as well as the difference between a casket and a coffin. At the end of this recording, Seamus shares a few dramatic ghost stories.