School: Oileán Ciarraí (roll number 10956)

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1. Local Marriage Customs (continued)

   

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   they decide on paying over the fortune. If the party hasn't sufficient money, stock and often times a piece of land is given as dowry. The day was then appointed for the wedding but on the Sunday or holy day night previous there is usually held at the girl's house a party - known as the eating of the gander at which the strawboys attend also. The most unlucky month for marriage is supposed to be the month of May.

   Nowadays people go the chapel in motors, but in olden times when they had no motors they went in covered cars and sidecars and more early on horseback. An old shoe was tied to the car in which the newly weds were to bring them luck, and after the ceremony rice was thrown on them too for the same purpose. The man always arrived at the chapel before the woman, and they had no intercourse with each other, fraternising etc. the night, before the wedding. In those times the newly married couple just went somewhere for the day and came home that night, when reception was held by everyone in the man's house, whereas the wedding breakfast was held in the girl's home. If they married on Shrove Tuesday it was considered unlucky not to be home before 12 o'c midnight. The strawboys then visited them during the night in batches. They were so called because of their

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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

   Collector

   Michael Mc Gillicuddy

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Killegane, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Mrs Mary Mc Gillicuddy

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   83

   Address

   Killegane, Co. Kerry