School: Cluain Fhada (roll number 15091)
- Location:
- Cloonfad More, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Eibhlín Ní Thighearnáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0249, Page 082
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- XML “Local Marriage Customs”
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- The old marriage customs have not changed much as regards match-making. If a man thought a girl had a good fortune to get, he would send a friend to her parents house to ask her in marriage. If her fortune did not meet his demand, even if she was the best housekeeper in the district, she was left for another. If it did, they had a few fine nights settling the match.
In the lower part of Leitrim, the adjoining county, the groom brings a pint of whiskey with him, to drink all healths, but this is not done here.
The matchmakers, then go to the market town on market day to finish the match, and when it is settled and the day named, preparations are made for a good old-fashioned wedding at the expense of the bride's parents.
My mother was at a wedding when a wee girl, and the bride's people were most superstitious. One of them had to run all the way across the fields from the Church after the ceremony, so as to go in the house and have eaten and drunk something, before the others arrived.
- Collector
- Helen Dorr
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Grange, Co. Roscommon
- Informant
- Mrs Mary Dorr
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 39
- Address
- Grange, Co. Roscommon
