Two questions: How could the bastard boy have been an heir to Ned? Are we to assume Ned sired the lad? And, do you think the title was meant to be a pun? Wake can mean to wak up from sleep, or to hold a funeral ceremony.
Tell me what you think! Overall, I loved this movie! If this spoiler applies to you, go rent this movie this holiday weekend! - Jinx
To your first question, yes, he is. The first time I saw this movie, I had to watch the relevant scene (at the party) quite closely several times (partly due to the accents) to understand what Maggie was saying. She’s pretty clear on that point. Oh my! Ned did live quite a full life . . .
To your second question, I don’t think it was a pun, but a simple reference to the second meaning.
Also the first time I saw this, I spent most of a certain scene (you know the one I mean) screaming “Oh, my God! No way!” and half-laughing in disbelief. Until the string broke. Toink!
Refresh me, as it’s been awhile. What’s the string scene?
lieu: (BIG spoiler!)During Ned’s wake, Lizzy the witch rides/walks out to the phone booth to report the town’s lotto fraud. The scenes of her excursion are interspersed with scenes from the party, which features a fiddler and a bodhran (drum) player. The phone booth (with Lizzy in it) is hit by a van driven by the returning Father Mulligan and pitched over the edge of the cliff (with Lizzy in it). As the phone booth falls, we see the musicians driving their melody and their audience to a fever pitch. Toward the end of Lizzy’s fall, the fiddle player takes a solo of a drawn-out, increasingly higher pitch, and holds it, and the phone booth falls – until the string breaks with a loud “TOINK” just as we see the phone booth (with Lizzy in it, but we don’t see her) crash on the beach. The partiers cheer!
A case of divine (Devine?) intervention if I ever saw one.
I love that movie! I think there were some excellent actors/actresses in it and the stroy was great.
Yabbut I think Maggie was a bit of a Seinfeldian “two-face” – that is, she could be either very pretty or kind of a horse face. And she needs to do something about that mustache.
Otherwise, yes, wonderful performances from everyone and a great movie with a fabulous soundtrack. Too bad that Ian Bannen (Jackie O’Shea) was killed in a car crash not long after.
I thought I was gonna piss my pants in the scene of the old guy on the motorcycle.
Was the main character anyone famous? He kinda looked like the man from “3rd Rock from the Sun”, but I’m bad with ID’ing actors and actresses. - Jinx
And filmed on my homeland as well, which of course is the reason for its brilliance 
…what?
Cool! What is the population of the Isle of Man, and might you know about Richard Adams, author of Watership Down and others? After public education snuffed out the flame, he restored my faith in good writing and rekindled an interest in leisure reading.
What a beautiful place. My Mom’s homeland is Cape Breton, NS. The scenes could have been along the Cabot Trail, if you don’t mind me making the comparison. Simply breathtaking scenery!
No. You are thinking of John Lithgow. Jackie O’Shea was played by the aforementioned Scottish actor Ian Bannen.
Regarding possiblepun in the title…
I had always taken the first meaning. Never even considered the second.
Well, to me the title was obviously a pun on “wake” as in “wake up” (which Ned did not!), and “wake” as in “hold a wake ceremony for a dead person”.
The dentures popping out was classic! What a funny film! You gotta watch your friends, Ned (as almost-naked friend passes by outside window!) - Jinx