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  3. Ballykelly

School: Ballykelly

Location:
Ballykelly, Co. Wexford
Teacher:
Pádraig Mac Uadain
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0873, Page 259

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0873, Page 259

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  1. XML School: Ballykelly
  2. XML Page 259
  3. XML “Local Marriage Customs”
  4. XML “Local Marriage Customs”

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  2. Local Marriage Customs

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    The most frequent time for marriages is before lent and during the Summer months. When the bride and bridegroom are leaving home to go on their honeymoon an old shoe is tied to the back of the carriage. A wedding-feast is generally held at the bride's home. The neighbour's and friends are invited and they dance and sing all day and all night.
    At night the straw-boys (fools) gather at the house and go in to sing and dance and often the guests of the wedding are afraid of them. They dress with skirts and they put masks on their faces so that they cannot be known.
    When they go in they ask for the tea and when that is over they start
    (continues on next page)
    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
    Dominick Hearn
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Ballykelly, Co. Wexford