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From: "Mary Heaphy" <>
Subject: [IRL-TIP] Odd Irish Marriage Customs. (Unknown Newspaper)
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 22:44:25 -0000

Odd Irish Marriage Customs. (Unknown Newspaper)

Matchmaking done by the Parents of the Bride and Groom.

Shrove Tuesday weddings in Ireland are exceedingly common and sometimes
among the peasantry they are celebrated in strange circumstances. There is
the story of a young peasant girl being aroused out of bed on the night of
Shrove Tuesday to be married before midnight to a well to do
Irish-Australian whom she had never seen, though he was known to her
parents, who made the match. It turned out to be a happy marriage. The young
people usually take the matter philosophically, believing that their parents
know best how to make them happy.

This anecdote is told of a Tipperary girl; "Biddy", asked her friend, "are
ye going off this Shraff", (Shrove). "Musha, I don't know that" said Biddy,
"but they're sitting on me upstairs";-Meaning that matchmaking was in
progress.

Another story relates to a number of weddings taking place in a Munster
Church on Shrove Tuesday. "An' where's yer intended, Joe" one swain was
asked. "Be Gob" Mick, I couldn't tell ye, but I believe she's up there
amongst the feathers and ribbons in the front row of sates" (Seats). He
learned who she was when the names were called out.

Mary

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• [IRL-TIP] Odd Irish Marriage Customs. (Unknown Newspaper) by "Mary Heaphy" <>