School: Loughteague, Stradbally (roll number 6129)
- Location:
- Loughteeog, Co. Laois
- Teachers: Brigid Keane Brighid Ní Chatháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0837, Page 167
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- XML School: Loughteague, Stradbally
- XML Page 167
- XML “Marriage”
- XML “Bed”
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- (continued from previous page)They stitched it through and through criss-cross all over with a running stitch. They might go to a different house each night. While the girls worked, their brothers or other young fellows in the neighbourhood gathered in and they had stories and jokes and songs. Tea was made for all and when that was over they dispersed. There was never anything irregular or unbecoming in the conduct of the young people. They went home in groups.The quilts' were part of each girl's bridal outfit. It was a common saying "Bring your bed and [?] to your house" which was equivalent to asking a girl to join the family - it was like saying "Wouldn't you like to have your name on our tombstone?"Marriages long ago were celebrated in the afternoon, after which the company returned to the bride's home and by degrees all the friends and relatives assembled and partook of the marriage Feast - there was plenty of eating and drinking, music and dancing all through the night. The dance might be held in the barn: the meals in the house. Back 70 years ago the marriage ceremony was performed in the house and after the wedding feast a collection was made among the guests for the priest.
- In many cases the bed-tick might be filled with oaten chaff as were the bolster and pillows in case the bride were too poor to afford feathers. A chaff-tick was very often used even by better-class people under the feather bed-tick.
