School: Munlough

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1. Local Marriage Customs (continued)

   

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   Nobody would know about the marriage but the pair that were getting married. The morning of the marriage the groom would go to the bride's house. He would know which room of the house his bride to be slept in. When he would get to the house, he would tap the window of her room. Of course she would know who tapped it, because they would have it arranged before hand. She would steal cautiously out of the bed and get all her belongings. She would throw out her clothes to the groom to be. Then she would go out herself. They would run away and get married. That is why that marriage was called a run-away marriage.

   Later on the marriage customs were changed. Before two would get married, the man would ask the girl he was going to marry to do some work for him. It was a custom to ask the girl to wash for him. If the girl's sister could wash better than the girl sometimes the man would marry her. The eve of the marriage the man would come to the girl's house. After the people of the house arranged about the marriage festivities the man would get tea. While he was talking the tea the

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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

   Informant

   Peter Mc Govern

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Carrowmore, Co. Cavan