School: Ballyhaise
- Location:
- Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: Thos. Plunkett
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0973, Page 370
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- XML School: Ballyhaise
- XML Page 370
- XML “Local Marriage Customs”
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- Marriages take place frequently a week or so before Lent as by the law of the Church persons are forbidden to marry in Lent. Also many marriages take place some time before Advent as the Church forbids anyone to marry within Advent. Marriages are a great time of joy and feasting. On the day the persons get married they usually go all around the country for a drive in a motor-car. All the friends and neighbours are invited to the groom's house and there is plenty of drink and food. Porter, wine and whisky and tea and sweet-cakes ae bought. When the young men of a district hear of a wedding they dress up in straw. They tie straw ropes on their arms and legs and around their waist and they put on straw hats and go to the groom's house. Sometimes they go into the house but generally they invite the bride outside to dance with them. They generally get money and then they all take off the straw and make a bonfire of it on the street. They then give three cheers for the bride and groom and then they depart. The following night they buy food and drink with the money and they go to some neighbour's house and spend the night in fun and merriment. The groom gives the bride's maid a present not of money but of(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Philip Baxter
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 14
- Informant
- Joseph Baxter
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 68
