To show how the custom was observed the following may be of interest.
Beesy Gannon’s mother got her back hurt by her husband when he was trying to get the first kiss.

Sean-fhocal
Is fearr súil le mil ná súil le cill.16. At one time there was a long oak stick - or what the people believed to be an oak stick running from Cloontabret to Cloonfinish (a distance of about half a mile). The people used this as a path for years. One fine day to the astonishment of the people the oak stick turned out to be an animal and it fled down to Killala leaving a track after it. Before the animal started on its journey it gave a tremendous whistle. The animal had twelve eyes.17. If an ass foal is three times in the one spot a four leaved shamrock will grow there.