noon
That morning we were all up at the shriek of day . From six o'clock my own faction , friends and neighbors , began to come , all mounted ; and about eight o'clock there was a whole regiment of them , some on horses , some on mules , others on raheries ** and asses ; and , by my word , I believe little Dick Snudaghan , the tailor 's apprentice , that had a hand in making my wedding-clothes , was mounted upon a buck goat , with a bridle of salvages tied to his horns . Anything at all to keep their feet from the ground ; for nobody would be allowed to go with the wedding that had n't some animal between them and the earth . * The morning or early part of the day , on which an Irish couple are married , up until noon , is called the bride 's part , which , if the fortunes of the pair are to be happy , is expected to be fair -- rain or storm being considered indicative of future calamity . ** A small , shaggy pony , so called from being found in great numbers on the Island of that name . `` To make a long story short , so large a bridegroom 's party was never seen in that country before , save and except Tim Lannigans , that I mentioned just now . It would make you split your face laughing to see the figure they cut ; some of them had saddles and bridles -- others had saddles and halthers ; some had back-suggawns of straw , with hay Stirrups to them , but good bridles ; others sacks filled up as like saddles as they could make them , girthed with hay-ropes five or six times tied round the horse 's body .