As true today as it was then.
A marriage engagement is a wonderful thing for a happy couple and their associated families but it is also a cause for the groom-to-be to take an unmerciful slagging from his mates.
They’re happy for him in reality, of course – and more than excited about the stag do to come – but there’s also a duty there to take the p*ss out of him for leaving the life of a bachelor behind for the rest of his life.
Slagging men for getting married is a tradition that has existed in Ireland for generations and in Leitrim two decades ago, they even went to the bother of typing out a formal letter to anyone about to exit ‘The Bachelor’s Club’.
JOE reader Aoibhe Murtagh sent us on a picture of a letter herself and her mother Frances found while cleaning the sitting room yesterday, a letter addressed to Aoibhe’s father Sean shortly after he proposed to Frances 20 years ago.
We love the formality of the p*ss-taking here and the quote at the end of it is quite profound indeed.
Know a man who’s recently got down on one knee? Give him a look at this… while shaking your head in disapproval, of course.
Cheers to Aoibhe Murtagh for sending this our way. If you have something you would like to share with us, send it to [email protected] or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.
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