School: Coole (roll number 3936)

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1. Essay on Local Marriage Customs (continued)

   

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   be invited. On the morning of the marriage the bride, bridemaid and a few relations would go on a side car and meet the groom at the chapel and when the marriage cermony was over they would return to the brides house and by the time they would return all the friends would be there and have breakfast together.
   After breakfast every one would clear out and go for a drive on side car for miles through the country and often times when they would come to a hotel they would go in and have refreshments and dance for a few hours as they would have two or three fiddlers with them. After that they would come back to find a big dinner of all home produce such as roast geese, turkeys and ham. Then after that the dancing would commence of Reels, jigs, and Hornpipes and about eight o'clock the straw boys would come dressed up in straw weaven [woven] into suits and helmets for their head. The first thing they do when they get into the house was to call for a tune and a dance with the bride. Then they would be treated to whiskey or porter. If they were decent they would be very thankful for the reception they got and if they were mean they would cause plenty of trouble and annoy the people of the house very much. The dancing would

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
         1. rites of passage (~573)
            1. marriage (~4,283)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary Gunning

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Coole, Co. Westmeath

   Informant

   Mrs Gunning

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Coole, Co. Westmeath