much had to be paid & if low so much else, generally a £100 generally in the difference of the dowry. If a girl were bringing out a dowry her people came & walked the land generally her father did this work. If the land were good a good dowry was given if poor the dowry was cut. The person walking the land noted if thistles or other plants that were supposed to denote good land were growing there or not. They were married in the house and also in the church. They went on horseback & the wife went home with the husband on horseback pillion riding behind him. The others gave them a good start & then went after them as quickly as possible The dinner consisted of pig's head & cabbage, beer & stout & whiskey Boys came there dressed known as "Straw Boys" & were intertained. They were dressed in all kinds of old clothes to disguise & wore "Eye-fiddles" so that no one would recognise them. Beggars came there also & money was distributed among them. This custom of the beggars still continues at some weddings

It is generally during Shrove marriages take place locally, but the most favoured day is Shrove Tuesday. People get married at any time during the year but I never heard of any marriage in May or the Harvest of the year. Monday and Friday marriages, are very unusual, also Sunday.
In this district matches are made, and money is given as dowry up to this day. Stock or goods are often given as presents with the dowry. Some boy's friend come to the girl's house and talk to the people and if the people consent the girl and boy meet generally at the girl's home if they like each other, they draw down about the dowry, when the dowry is fixed the families

So far as we can learn, the dowry always played on important part in the marriages of this district. This dowry was not always paid in cash. Sometimes, a cow or a few sheep or other farm_animals were thrown in, to "make up the difference". The usual way in which a match was made was this: the prospective bridegroom, accompanied by the local "matchmaker" who was generally a middle aged man who had the "gift of the gab," went at night_time to the house where he wished to get a wife. They always carried with them a bottle of whiskey. When they reached the house, they talked about various subjects, not aluding the most important question. The woman of the house then "treated" them, and after the the match_maker produced his bottle of whiskey, and other drinks went round. Then the match_maker introduced the important question, including the dowry, and the whole matter was discussed, often in the presence of the bride to

the first Sunday of Lent and as will be noted from the list given on page 36 eleven days are occupied with the Knocknagree Parish (note (6) and (7) are held on the one day when the three priests attend).
Stations are never held on Saturdays or on Fair-days. Among the people it is known for years in advance who will have the stations and what part of the year they will have them.
The Parish Priest has in addition to the Xmas offering and Station dues the following aids to keeps his house in order and to support himself and his Curates.
(a) Marriage Money:- This is a substantial amount in the course of a year in our Parish where there are good big farms and comfortable livings. The fee charged for a marriage is based on the amount of the dowry e.g. if a young man is getting the farm and the dowry is £500 the marriage money is £20. This is the usual percentage (4%) and rarely is it departed from. Any attempt to cloak the amount of the dowry is futile - the Parish priest knows his parish so well that he is able to make a shrewd guess at the dowry or fortune, hence there's no use in hiding it

meet they decide about the dowry. If the gentleman has a farm and stock the girl goes to his house and brings a dowry with her.

usually drink, and commenced to play the music and dance again. As they became engrossed in the amusement they threw off the disguise and joined the other guests, and took part in the entertainment till all dispersed. A dowry or 'fortune' is given to the girl by her parents. This is usually money now, but in olden times it was common custom for a father who owned land to give his daughter a field or two as dowry or marriage portion. Cattle were often given, if the groom was interested in that department.

a dowry by her parents. Sometimes this dowry is in the form of money. Sometimes it is in the form of cattle, furniture or lands.

Old Marriage Customs
There is usually a rush of weddings before Shrove Tuesday as the people are not supposed to get married during Lent. May is supposed to be an unlucky month to be married in.
A man looking for wife used to get another man to help him, this man was called a match-maker and he got some money if the wedding came off, they would talk over the girls in the neighbourhood and when they would decide which would be the most suitable they went to her parents house and they brought a bottle of whiskey with them, and they treated the parents to some. Then they would talk over the girls dowry. If the parents were poor the bridegroom sometimes got the red cow for a dowry. Another way of match-making was this: two farmers would meet in the fair and they would talk over their son and daughter and they would come to an agreement about the dowry. The son and daughter were told about their wedding a few days or a month before the wedding. Money was usually given as a dowry.
A wedding ceremony took place in a house in the district about fifty years ago. After the wedding ceremony there is usually a feast with plenty of things to eat and to drink. Young girls who are unmarried like to get a piece of the wedding cake to

From New Year's day until the first of Lent is the most time marriages take place. Ta na Leant is not lucky to get married on. It is not lucky to get married in November or December. Money is given as a dowery to the people that get married. Stock was given long ago.
18/12/38
Dowry dowry dowry

Thursday is considered the luckiest day to get married, Saturday and Monday are very unlucky days and rarely does a marriage take place here on either of these days. It is believed here that a Shrove Tuesday marriage is unlucky. The Monday before Ash Wednesday is called "Puss Monday" because all the women who have not got married before Lent have a "puss" on them.
Matches are arranged here up to the present time, money is given as a dowry, it is understood that any fairly well off farmer must give his daughter at least £100. When a baby girl is born in any house the neighbours will be heard say "so and so [?] lost £100 last night", meaning he will have to pay out £100 dowry while if it were a boy he wouldn't have to. About 50 years ago stock and sometimes household goods and even clothes were given as part dowry, a cow was usually given with the bride.
On the wedding day a feast is held in the bride's home, there is "poteen", whiskey and a barrell of porter brought in for the party. The bridal party take a drive round the country from the church and then return for dinner in the

in the same house with him.
The "Match make" marriage is customary up to the present day. This is a buying and selling transaction. The groom-to-be looks for a wife who shall bring him the biggest dowry, and the parents of the prospective bride looks for the biggest place they can procure for her. A man who has a three cows place expects to get a £100 dowry with his wife or as near that figure as possible. If he has a slated house and a horse he wants a bigger dowry still.
The usual procedure in the "Match Make" is The man on the look out (local term) sends a friend with a bottle of whiskey to ask a wife for him. Sometimes he is depicted to ask for a particular girl but

home. This was called the "Dragging home." When the bride entered her new home it was customary to break a loaf of bread over her head and let the crumbs of the breaking fall upon her. I do not know why was this done but I saw it done.
Note:- It would be a mistake to come to the conclusion that every father who had a marriageable daughter was "well to do" and could give his daughter a dowry of £100 or so. This was not the case. Oftened the same dowry "fortuned" several girls. For instance if John say got £100 dowry with his wife he had to hand it over to his sisters on her marriage. Her husband in turn had to give it as fortune to his sister and so on till it finally came to rest with some man who had no sister to endow

In the parish of Ballyhar, Co. Kerry, marriages take place most frequently during Shrove. Wednesdays and Fridays are deemed unlucky for marriage. May and August are the months considered unlucky for marriage "in May married and parted".
Matches are made in the parish of Ballyhar, Co. Kerry, at present. Money is given as dowry. Stock or goods are not now given as dowry, but they were up to eighty years ago. Live stock - lambs, sheep, cows, bonhams and articles of furniture - table or dresser - were given as dowry. Up to one hundred years ago marriages used to take place in the houses. The parish priest used go to the house and after the marriage he used to remain there for some time to enjoy the wedding festivities.
At the present time a wedding feast is held in the house of the bridegroom when the parties return there after the marriage at the church. Straw boys visit the house. Their faces are covered with masks and ropes of straw are coiled around their bodies to keep the old

approached by the bridegroom's (to be) father first with a view to finding a suitable girl for his son. The matchmaker always had his eye to business and knew beforehand by whom he would likely be approached each Shrovetide.
He then set to work by going to the bride's (to be) father and found our her dowry in money or kind and also if she would be agreeable to marry his client. This latter point was often left to last and sometimes the girl was more or less forced to consent if the other matters of dowry and suitable home were settled. The information was now conveyed to the other side concerned and amount of fortune and the girl's suitability told of. The next thing was a meeting of both parties friends or relations in neutral place and the marriage settlement was made or broken off.
There was an amount of bargaining on both sides and the money was often reduced or increased as dowry of a cow or two added to it to finish the match.

If she consented to marry him the bargaining began. First the woman of the house aired her daughter's good qualities - her health, strength, ability to do all sorts of house and farm work. The match maker then told of the good qualities of the intending groom and informed all of his worldly wealth. Exaggeration was to be expected. A discussion then took place as to the dowry to be settled on the girl. Strenuous and sometimes bitter arguments took place on this subject and marriages were known to "fall through" because an extra bullock or heifer was demanded in the girls dowry. With the dowry question settled the whiskey was again produced and the health of the young couple drunk. Songs & stories often continued until the small hours of the morning.
Friends and relatives were invited to the wedding and all went on foot to the church. They were accompanied by a fiddler who marched at the head of the procession from the church to some village inn whilst he played

Dowry The brides dowry consists of money or perhaps a cow. If the bride owned a farm the bridegroom's dowry is stock or a little money.Match-Making
The bride groom never asks the lady but sends a neighbour to asks her parents for her hand in marriage. If they are pleased with the offer a meeting is arranged between the two parties in the local town. Here the terms of the marriage are discussed, the dowry the portions given to the bride groom's parents. This is usually free support. If they agreed, the lady's father would go to see the man's place.Wedding Day
The wedding party is usually big, relatives and neighbour of both families are invited. Going to

Marriage CustomsIt is considered unlucky to marry in May. The bride should wear something new, something borrowed, something blue.It is happy for the marriage that the sun shines. On Tuesdays and Fridays are considered unlucky days in which to marry. Wednesdays and Saturdays are lucky days. An old shoe thrown after the bride is considered lucky.Another lucky custom is to break an oat cake on the bride's head before leaving for the church.. "Matches" are made in this district. The prospective bride-groom sends a friend to consult the girl's father, to ask his consent and to arrange the dowry. The amount of dowry is usually depending on the size of the groom's farm, his means, etc. When the dowry is given the groom's parents sign over the place to the pair and they take the dowry for their own use.It is not lucky to pass a graveyard when returning from the church.It is not usual for the bride to return to her father's home until one month has elapsed from the marriage.
Married in blue, sure to be true,
Married in brown, sure to go down.
Marry in May, and you'll rue the day.Those married in blue or white are supposed to be lucky. Those married in brown or green are considered

Continued.provided there are no strangers present but the girl and her own people, he introduces the object of his visit. Then if the girl and her people consent they will fix upon a day for the boy and girl to meet if they are not already acquainted.
When they meet if they like each other they settle upon a dowry and appoint a day for the marriage.
Generally a fortune is given by the girl's parents. The amount depends on the wealth of the parents, and also on the place the young man has. The better the place the bigger the dowry. Usually it is money that is given, sometimes the dowry

a secret lover, she 'ran away' with him before the time appointed for her wedding. Friends often helped her out and took her in for a night or two. Usually she then came back and made it up with her parents and then married her lover. These run away marriages were quite frequent sixty or seventy years ago and many a daughter of that time could tell her parents about their own run-away.Marriages took place at ages 14 to 24. A girl any older than 24 was "an old girl." Girls over 27 had a poor chance of getting a man.
DowryA girl's dowry consisted of money £100 to £200, a bargain being usually made for the girl's parents to retain £50 of it until a son were born. A good cow was often given as part or extra dowry. And every girl had her wooden box of home-made linen and home-made blankets and flannel quilts as well as summer patch-work quilts which she had hand-made in the winter nights.

Very few matches are made in my district at present. Long ago goods or stock were given as dowry but at present is usually money that is given as dowry.
Some people remember marriages taking place in the houses long ago and some people do not. On wedding day at present the wedding party goes to the chapel in motor cars. In olden