School: Cloonty
- Location:
- Cloonty, Co. Leitrim
- Teacher: Michael Mac Gowan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0190, Page 224
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- XML “Marriage Customs”
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- Here are some of the marriage customs which existed about sixty years ago, as I heard them from my mother. Marriages were generally made at fairs or markets at that time. If a farmer knew that a girl had a fortune he would ask her to be his bride. Fortunes which were given at that time were not greater than 100 pounds.A wedding was a more important event long ago than it is now. It sometimes lasted five or six days. There were generally large crowds at a marriage. Side-cars were the vehicles that were used for driving the wedding party. A race was run from the chapel where the marriage ceremony was performed to the bride's house on horse-back. A pass-word was given to the people who were to take part in the race and whoever reached the bird's house first got a bottle of whiskey.A dance was held in the bride's house on the night of the wedding. A fiddler was payed to play music. Strawboys used to come to the house and sing songs or dance. They used to dress very peculiar. Large tall hats made out of straw were generally what they wore. Before they left the house(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Annie M. Gallagher
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Coolagraffy, Co. Sligo
