School: Cnoc Breac (roll number 13041)
- Location:
- Knockbrack, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Séamus Ó Conchubhair
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0450, Page 197
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- XML “Local Marriage Customs”
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- Page 197
Local Marriage Customs 6-6-38
Shrove, Easter and also the month of June are popular times for getting married. People say that the months of July, August, September are unlucky months for marriages as the old saying is “The sheaf tied in harvest ripped in spring.’
If a young man gets a farm from his parents a friend will send him an account of a match from some girl. They will arrange a meeting on a certain day. He will ask a fortune and the girls’ parents will give it to her after a lot of bargaining.
In our district the old system of matchmaking is still carried on especially among the farmers. Down to our grandmother’s and grandfather’s time every couple who got married and who could afford it had a grand wedding. In the morning they would go to the brides house and they would have a lovely breakfast and several rounds of punch.
Then the drive to the Church was great fun and the bride and her bridesmaid were taken in a covered car. The bridegroom and most of the men went on horseback and there would be a race to see who would be first to the Church and again coming home to the bridegroom’s house.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Lucy O' Connor
- Gender
- Female
