IRISH MATCH MAKING

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1617, 25 February 1903, Page 20

IRISH MATCH MAKING

Judge Adams, of Limerick, speaking of the humours of Irish match-making, says: —According to the well-known proverb marriages Avere made in heaven, but anybody avlio- kncAV rural Ireland knc-AV that often marriages Avere made in public houses. They Avere generally made on Shrove Monday, and the talk bctAveen tho parties concerned was not of love, or constancy, or of blue eyes and golden hair, but mostly about cows and sheep, pigs and feather beds. It often happened that a bride and bridegroom met. for the first time at the altar. A young girl once rushed into the house of a girl friend of hers, and said, “Mary, Mary, I’m to- be married in tlie morning!” “Yerrah, to avlioui ?” inquired her friend- “To one of the boys of tho Donovans.” “To Avliich of them?” asked her friend. “Well,” said the bride, “’twas rather dark near tlie fireplace, and I didn’t rightly knoAV which.” Tlie judge mentioned another caso Avhere a ivonian called out to her daughter an hour earlier than usual of a- mowing, “MolUe, get up at once. “Yerrah, for Avhat, mother?” “You’re to be married to-day. MolUe.” "Indeed, and to Avhom?” inquired Mo-Uie. '“Now, Avhat’s that to you?” replied tho mother.