School: Shivdillagh (roll number 6774)

Location:
Shivdelagh, Co. Leitrim
Teacher:
Thomas Byrne
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0204, Page 209

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0204, Page 209

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  1. XML School: Shivdillagh
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  3. XML “Matchmaking”

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  1. A boy and a girl meet at a crossroads or country house dance. Crossroads dancing was very common about forty years ago. Every Sunday evening there was a crossroads dance. If someone knows if their being great he might go and tell their parents about them. If the old people liked the young pair to be married they got the match made. The boy sent two old, merry, married men to the girl's house. Those men were always good funny talkers. Before they left for the girls house they were given a bottle of whiskey. The man who was intended to be married never went to the girl's house before the match was made. The girl nearly always knows of their coming and she would be always sure to be away from home when the matchmakers would arrive. The men never come during the day but late at night when all the ramblers would be gone home and when all the people of the house would be thinking of going to bed. When the men would go in there would be great welcome for them if the people of the house knew their business and liked the marriage. The men
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
        1. rites of passage (~573)
          1. marriage (~4,283)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    James Mc Ternan
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Cloonagh, Co. Leitrim
    Informant
    Patrick Mc Ternan
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Cloonagh, Co. Leitrim