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School: Carrigans (C.)

Location:
Carrigan, Co. Cavan
Teacher:
Bean Mhic Gabhann
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0991, Page 105

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0991, Page 105

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  3. XML “Local Marriage Customs”

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  1. Local Marriage Customs

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    Local Marriage customs
    Marriages most frequently occur between Chrismas and Shrove Tuesday. Fridays and Saturdays are thought unlucky for marriages. There is an old saying "Saturday's flitting makes a short sitting." There are old sayings about the days of the week as regards marriages. Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday the best day of all. Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses and Saturday no day at all. Very few marriages take place during Lent now but they took place long ago when there would be a "runaway marriage." The boy and girl would go to a friend's house + the next night their neighbours would follow them with whiskey and bring them back to respective homes. They would be married in a month and it often happened to be in Lent. There is an old saying "marry in Lent and you will live to repent." Long ago the bride would borrow something on the day before the wedding day. A little rhyme tells this.
    "Something old and something new.
    Something borrowed and something blue."
    When they got married it was the custom to throw an old boot after the married pair for good luck. On the night of the wedding day there would be a great feast and all the neighbours are invited. The "straw-boys" also attended with straw tied all around them. They gave three cheers for the bride and groom and then they got porter. That custom is seldom carried out at the present time but
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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
    Rose Reilly
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Urbal, Co. Cavan
    Informant
    Mrs Rose Masterson
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    47
    Address
    Ballytrust, Co. Cavan