Appears to have been the custom on the Beara Peninsula as well. I was told this some years ago by an eminent researcher there and the records I have certainly bear this out many times. Regards, Patsy - New Zealand Subject: Re: [IRL-KERRY] Donoghue Family, Dromartin townland, North Kerry > Something in Ed's posting made me think - has anybody else noticed > that very often in marriages made in the mid 19th century in rural > Ireland, and perhaps especially in Munster, the witnesses seemed to be > the couple's fathers. This was the case in my family and I wondered if > anyone else has come across this at all. Would it be a case of an > arranged marriage?? > > I realise that one has to be careful as there would have been brothers > with the same names as the fathers, but I have seen definite cases of > fathers acting as witnesses to a marriage, and it seems likely that > this is the case with James Donoghue and Honoria Long, i.e. Jeremiah > / Dermot Donoghue and John Long. > Mary >