School: Ceathrú an Chalaidh
- Location:
- Carraholly, Co. Mayo
- Teacher: Brian Mac Aodhgáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0088, Page 336
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- XML “Marriage Customs”
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- The old marriage customs of this district are nearly all died out. No matches are made nowadays. The boys meet the girls at the dances instead.
About thirty or forty years ago matches were made in this place. The matches were made during the shrove, that is the time from New years Day to Ash Wednesday. The reason for making the matches at this time of the year, was that the young married couple would be settled down before the Spring work began. Match-making was an old Irish institution and like other old Irish habits and customs hid the genius and wisdom of the makers. Match-making was the one custom which went a long way to keep the youth of Ireland morally good and to bring about early marriages and a healthy vigorous race.
At the meeting of the boy's people and the girl's people which usually used to take place in Westport on a Thursday, being market day, or on a Fair day, everything good or bad about the boys or(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Blánaid Ní Giobúin
- Gender
- Female
- Informant
- Mrs Garavan
- Relation
- Unknown
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- c. 74
- Address
- Rusheen, Co. Mayo
