Many of us are unable to find records of marriages, even though we sometimes may have good information on the names of the married couples and the approximate years of their marriages. I have noticed in the Clones Parish Register that a good number of the marrying individuals were non RC. So if one was looking for the marriage of anyone of them in a non RC church register, one would be out of luck. Here is and example of a few of such marriages that I’ve come across in the Clones Parish (RC) register. In most of the cases below, the bride was non RC : 1822 James Boylan and Anne Johnson 1822 Michael Rogers and Elisabeth Eccles 1824 Edward Doonan, soldier, Sarah Morrison 1824 Edward Beggan, soldier, Elisabeth Wilson 1834 Joseph Cooper and Elisabeth Eccles (alias Rogers) 1834 Ebinezer Stinson (Drummully) and Elisabeth Martin (Stinson non RC, Elisabeth RC and they were related) 1836 Andrew Fee and Martha McDowell 1838 Irwin Armstrong and Jane Elliott (both were non RC) 1838 James Howell, Anglican, soldier 16th regiment of foot, and Isabelle Cosgrove 1842 John Hamil and Mary Ann Beatty Similarly there must have been RCs who married in non RC churches, and I’m wondering if similar notes were recorded for those marriages? Does anyone know the answer to this question? After a certain point in one’s research, I’m thinking it may be fruitful to look wider afield and not be too restricted to the usual formula we tend to use. Also, I thought this below might be of interest. Here are two examples of the Marriage Register being used for other purposes. £8 and £9 would have been a sizable amount in those days! James ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------ Clones Marriage Register (Page) 60 8 May 1856 I James McQuillan of Clinmaulin in the parish of NewtownButler do yield & give possession of my pew in the chapel of Clones to Doctor Rily of Clones for which he has paid me the sum of nine pounds sterling. James McQuillan present Rev’d James Smyth John Collins his x mark -------------------------------------------------------- (Page) 74 N.B. November 22 - 1858 James McPhillips of Cara Street purchased and paid Mrs. Catherine Cassady of three pound hill eight pounds sterling for her pew in Clones chapel in the presence of John Collins. James Smyth

James, During the dis-established years, for the legality of marriages had to take place in the Anglican Church. All be it Some Methodists had dispensation. But others had not. Remember Gypsies married By jumping over a broomstick giving rise to the saying " Living over the brush!" That is why Romany records are so hard to trace. Viola