School: Páirc na gCrann (roll number 16042)

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1. Local Marriage Customs

   

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   Long ago it was a custom for all marriages to take place during Shrove. The people always considered May as an unlucky month for some reason of their own. Matches were made in the district in former times. It was usual for the people to meek[?] out at fairs and markets and then match-make for the son or daughter at home. The next meeting day the young couple would meet each other to see if they would like one another. If they did not the match would be broken at once. Twenty five pounds and a cow was generally given to the daughter as a fortune. Sometimes when the father would not be willing to get his daughter married the man would come by night and steal away the girl, out through the window.

   Old shoes were commonly regarded as bringers of good luck to newly-weds, hence they were thrown after the bride or bridegroom. The people also scattered rice over the married couple,- this also betokened happiness and prosperity. Generally a feast would held in the bride groom's house followed by a dance. There would be over twenty horses at each wedding and a few side-cars. When the marriage would be advancing [?] the bridegroom's house there would be a bonfire lighted on a hill or crossroad. The fire consisted of straw on which was poured some lamp oil. The marriages during that time were commonly called "drags."

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
         1. rites of passage (~573)
            1. marriage (~4,283)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Máire Nic Aodhagáin

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   18

   Address

   Cloghvoley, Co. Mayo

   Informant

   Thomas Lavin

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   79

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Cloghvoley, Co. Mayo