School: Kiffa

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1. Local Marriage Customs (continued)

   

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   a common thing for the man to borrow cattle and horses from his neighbours to have "a good show of stock" on that day and later, when the marriage was over the bride would discover her husband had very little stock, but the harm was done then and could not be remedied. In fact, in some cases where the people were great strangers the "groom to be" sometimes walked the men over part of the neighbouring farms as well, in order to get all the larger dowry with the girl. Often the girl got some furniture too, but she was always expected to bring a greta deal of house linen and bed clothes with her. It was considered an honour to be allowed to cart the bride's "flitting". This "flitting" was never brought on a Saturday because of the superstition that "Saturday's flitting makes a short sitting".
   The custom of match making is one that should not be tolerated in any civilised country, making bargains about how much money are you going to give me with your daughter, such thrash as that, I cannot understand. "Marry for love and work for riches", should be the slogan of every young man. Then, it is commonly believed by Roman Catholics that the bride should not return to her old home for a month after the wedding.

   

   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

   Adina Heaney

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Drumegil, Co. Cavan

   Informant

   Mr Thomas Boylan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Drumegil, Co. Cavan