Strawboys (Called Cleithrí here)

transcribed at

Strawboys (Called Cleithrí here)  [duchas:4693647]

The people of this district do not remember of marriages taking place in the houses but they often heard of it.
When they, the marriage couple, are going to the church in the morning the people of the house throw something after them, generally the tongs for luck.
Sometimes they hang an old shoe to the back of the car.
When they are married they go back to the bride's house for the wedding feast. They stay there that day and night.
About ten o'clock the young people of the district dress up as strawboys. In bygone days they dressed with straw platted over their 

[marginal note:] Groom goes to bride's house with his party in the morning & then all leave together for church from there.

Strawboys (Called Cleithrí here)  [duchas:4693648]

heads and down on their body. Now they put on different clothes and a cloth on face so that they will not be known. When they come to the house they hand in a note asking leave of the groom to enter. Having got it four of them go in at a time and they hoist the bride up three times cheering while doing so. They dance their fill. Then four more go in and dance. They continue this until twelve o'clock.
The custom of this district was the more you were thought about the more strawboys attended your wedding. People

Strawboys (Called Cleithrí here)  [duchas:4693649]

took it to heart if the cleithrí's as they are called here did not attend as it showed that the bride's people were not popular.