School: Ball Áluinn (Balla) (roll number 1146)
- Location:
- Balla, Co. Mayo
- Teacher: P. Ó Maolanaigh
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- Matchmaking is still common in this part of the country.The relatives of the prospective bride and groom meet at a fair or market. Over a few drinks they discuss the dowry of the bride and the land and stock of the groom. One of the bride´s relatives walks the said land and values it. Sometimes cattle are borrowed for a few days by the groom for this visitation.
When all arrangements are completed a day is named and preparations are made for a wedding feast at the bride´s house. It is scrubbed from top to bottom. New delph is got for the occasion. Whiskey and other drinks are procured. It is not considered lucky for bridegroom and bride to meet on the eve of the marriage. On the marriage morning they are not to meet until they meet in church.
Neighbours when going to the wedding feast always bring presents for the wedded pair. These are usually useful things for a house. The dowry of a bride was often paid in kind-cattle, sheep, churn, spinning wheel etc. Now it is always money.
It is not considered lucky for a bridesmaid to act as sponsor twice in a year, nor is it right for a brother and sister to marry within the same year. The bridegroom should not see the wedding dress until he sees it in church. A bride is not to visit her parents within one month after her marriage.- Collector
- P. Ó Maolanaigh
- Gender
- Male