School: Urbal (roll number 13170)
- Location:
- Urbal, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Eamonn de Faoite
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- XML “Old Customs”
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- Old customs.
A hundred years ago there were no side-cars and very few carts.
Travellers made journeys by horse-back or walking. People thought nothing of walking great distances. A woman walked from Roughra to Donegal a distance of over 20 miles. She carried a firkin of butter over 100 pounds in weight. When she sold the butter she bought tea etc and walked home all in one day. A horse usually carried two on his back.
The people attending weddings usually were on horse-back. A man sat in the saddle and a woman rode behind him on a pillion. There was a race from the church to the bride's house. Whoever won received a bottle of whiskey, which was counted a great honour. Funerals were usually carried out in the following way. A cart and a coffin cloth were hired. If the person was young three girls sat on the coffin and if old one. If no cart could be got the coffin was carried by 4 or 6 men on poles.