Library Forum

Would any one know when the practice of celebrating a marriage in the house of
the bride came to an end in Clare?
A relative of mine was married at the house of his bride at Clondrinagh,
parish of Meelick/Parteen in 1853. Clondrinagh is near Coonagh at the Limerick
end of the parish.

Possibly this practice gradually petered out with the upsurge of church building that occurred following the relaxation of the penal laws at the beginning of the 19th Century. The Clondagad Parish marriage register shows that the practice was commonplace there up until the end of 1854. During 1855 and 1856 couples seem to be all married "at the chapel." After that the location was no longer recorded. The new church was built in 1861, so presumably all marriages then were celebrated "in the house of God."
Perhaps others may have more definitive info on this.