Local Marriage Customs
Marriages frequently occur in this district during Shrove which is before Lent. Shrove Tuesday is a favourite day for getting married. The month of May is considered unlucky for marriages also Saturday. Matches are frequently made in our district. The bride often receives money as a dowry from her parents. Stock and goods are sometimes given. The bride's mother sometimes gives her daughter an iron pot which is called a skillet, which is supposed to bring good luck to their new home. A wedding feast is held at the bride's home, after the ceremony at which there is much feasting, drinking, and merry-making. In olden times the wedding cake was of oaten meal and broken on the bride's head. When the wedding feast is over, in the bride's house they all go to the bridegroom's house in which there is more feasting, drinking and merry-making. "Straw boys" do no visit the house. Those who attended the wedding used race each other on their way home to see who would break a bottle of whisky which was previously left out for them, this was supposed to bring them luck.

Ethel Dunwoody,
Gola,
Scotstown,
Co Monaghan

Information received from
Mr Thos. Lockhart,
Derryledigan,
Selloo,
Co Monaghan.