School: Cluain Fhiadh (B.), Carraig na Siúire (roll number 1857)
- Location:
- Clonea, Co. Waterford
- Teacher: Liam Ó Heireamhóin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0654, Page 87
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- In days gone by people had many queer customs concerning marriage. One of these was for young men to blacken their faces with polish or soot and go around to the house where the marriage had taken place in, for the marriages that time used take place in the houses. The people used buy a half barrel of beer or a quarter cask and give it to them with some break in one of the out houses. These were called "straw boys" for they used to have straws on the old hats they used to wear. They used have dances also. May was thought an unlucky month for marriage. A man in this locality was getting married when the straw boys came along. He came out and they asked him for the beet and bread. He said "Talk is cheap but beer costs money".There was an old rhyme about(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Patrick Cusack
- Relation
- Unknown
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 56
- Address
- Monminane, Co. Waterford
