HaveyoueverbeentoanIrishwedding?Ihavejustreturnedfromone.Itisaquartertofiveinthemorning;thesunhasalreadyclimbedabovethehorizon;thebirdsarebusycelebratingthenewdayandhaveeagerlybeeninsearchoffood.
Butsomeoftheguestshavenotyetleft.Theyarestillprolongingthenight:dancing,singing,gossiping,andpostponingtheunfortunatenecessityofundertakingaday’sworkinthefieldsafterasleeplessnight.
Theeveningpartywastostartatteno’clock,butmanyoftheguestsarrivedearlier.Afewofthenearermalerelativeswerelookingratherawkwardineveningsuitswithsmartbowties,andthepleasant,unsophisticatedcountrywomen
appearedalittleself-consciousintheirSundaybest.Twomensqueezingaccordionsprovidedthemusic:theoldIrishtunesthathavebeenplayedatweddingsformanyyears.
Halfthepeopleintheroomweredancingthesquaredanceswhichhavebeenenjoyedevenlonger.Ascoreofmenstoodinthenarrowdarkhallleaningagainstthewall,drinkingbeerfrombottlesandspeculatingaboutcrops,cattleandthecurrentpoliticalsituation.Andwheneverthedancingstopped,somebodywouldstartsingingoneofthesentimental,treasuredIrishsongs:theexilelongingforhishome,thegrief-strickenlovermourninghisfate.Sometimeswealljoinedinthechorus,sadlyandsolemnly,beforegettinguptodanceagain.
Irishweddingsarealmostcertaintohavebeencelebratedinthiswayforgenerations.Ihavebeentoweddingreceptions
wherechampagnehasbeenservedtotheaccompanimentofsoftunnoticedorchestralmusic;IhavelistenedtocarefullypreparedspeechesandeyedalittleenviouslythemodelgownsofwomenfarmoreelegantthanIcouldeverhopetobe.
Ihavebeenimpressed,andalittlebored.Ihavejustbeensittingupallnightinasmall,uncomfortableIrishcottageandIhavebeenenjoyingeverymomentofit.
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