School: Sruthar (C.)

Location:
Shrule, Co. Mayo
Teacher:
Bríd, Bean Uí Éanacháin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0102, Page 155

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0102, Page 155

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  1. XML School: Sruthar (C.)
  2. XML Page 155
  3. XML “Weddings and Matchmaking”

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  1. When a wedding takes place nowadays, it passes off very quietly, but long ago a wedding night was remembered for weeks afterwards. Most marriages take place in the month of June, and before and after the forbidden seasons, which are lent and advent.
    Like every other ceremony, the old people had many customs connected with marriage. They considered Thursday and Saturday lucky days for getting married and Friday was supposed to be an unlucky day.
    Long ago the people used to throw salt on shrove Tuesday at the girls who had not got married before that day.This was supposed to preserve them for the coming year. Long ago when the people had no cars like they have nowadays, they used to ride on horseback at the weddings. The bride used to sit behind the young man on the horse. This was called pillion riding. It was considered unlucky to have a white horse at the dragging, and it was unlucky to have an even number of horses. They used to throw an old shoe or the tongs after the wedding party for luck. Money used to be thrown on the way of the bridal couple by people who wished them bad luck.
    The newly married couple used not go to Mass on the first Sunday. The first place they used to go was the market in the nearest town
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
        1. rites of passage (~573)
          1. marriage (~4,283)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Nóra Ní Dhubhdha
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Cahernabrock, Co. Mayo
    Informant
    James Dowd
    Relation
    Parent
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    65
    Address
    Cahernabrock, Co. Mayo