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School: Kilcalf, Tulach an Iarainn

Location:
Kilcalf Mountain, Co. Waterford
Teacher:
Cáit Breannóc
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0638, Page 76

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0638, Page 76

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  1. XML School: Kilcalf, Tulach an Iarainn
  2. XML Page 76
  3. XML “Local Marriage Customs”

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  1. Local Marriage Customs (continued)

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    (continued from previous page)
    Marriages take place locally during Shrove, which commences on the 7th of January and ends on the day before Ash Wednesday. The months of May and August and Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are considered unlucky months and days for marriage. It is not that people consider Shrove a luckier period of the year for marriage, but up to twenty years ago it was forbidden by the church to get married during Lent and Advent, so there was no other time of year for marriage and it is brought down to our day as a custom.
    Matches are very seldom in our district. Stock or goods are not given as dowry nowadays, only money.
    When anyone is getting married in our district it is customary that the Mass is celebrated in the bride’s house on the morning of the wedding day. The bridegroom does not attend this Mass at all. In the evening the pair to be married go in a motor car and get married and there is a feast in the bride’s house that evening. Relatives and neighbors come to the house that night and there is a big dance ball.
    Strawboys don’t come to the houses now, but long ago it was a general custom. “Strawboys” were some few boys dressed up with old painted bag or paper over their faces, they wore old torn coats and hats and high boots and the old people considered their coming to their weddings as a big insult and disrespect for their houses. But now though seldom, they come to the houses, and they are only recognized as fun.
    The bride does not return to her own home for a month
    (continues on next page)
    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
    Informant
    James Power
    Relation
    Unknown
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    53
    Address
    Glennaglogh, Co. Waterford