School: Ráth Araidh (roll number 9362)
- Location:
- Rahara, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: M. Ní Bheirn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0267, Page 051
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- XML “Marriage Customs”
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- (continued from previous page)Marriage Customs
Marriages take place mostly during during Shrove which is during the month of February.
When the people are getting married they first go to the Bride’s house. The marriage takes place early in the morning. After the marriage the people go to the Bridegroom’s house. A month after the marriage people have a spree.
That night boys dress up in straw, they are called straw boys. They dance with the bride. Everyone that is at the marriage gives a present. Somepeople give money and others give stock.
No people get married in May, it is thought an unlucky month.
People nowadays get married either on Monday or Thursday. Shrove Tuesday is sup-posed to be very lucky.
On they evening of marriage they usually go on a holiday.
When the wedding is over there is a sod of turf put up on a fork and lamp oil put on it. Then it is lit. One man holds it up in the air. “A change of the name but not the letter is a change for the worse and not the better”Up to about twenty years ago it was the custom for the bridal party to go to the church either walking in pairs or on long procession of side-cars. Going to the church the bride + groom did not walk together or sit on the same car. Returning from the church they came together. It was also the custom for the bridegroom to buy feirini for the bride, bridemaids + any relatives he happened to meet.
