Age of marriage in 1800s

[iem]

What was the earliest age a girl could marry in 1831 Dublin please?
I have a Susan(nah) Magrath nee McClean who died in Rathmines 1870. Her age is given as 53 years, yet she married by ML in 1831.
I wonder if this was confusion as to her real age or whether she actually married at 14 ....
Many thanks

[hasta]

You can't rely on a death certificate for proof of age - as the information was supplied by the informant, presumably to the best of their knowledge.
I would think it very unlikely that a 14 year old was allowed to marry.
'full age' for marriage was 21 - as she married by Licence it may indicate that she was a little under age but not necessarily, her parents would have had to give consent if she was under age. I'd say at the very least she is born 1813 i.e married at 18.

[Pejic]

Until the 1920's the legal minimum age for marriage was the same as in Roman times - 12 for girls and 14 for boys (though these were unusual), I believe it was based on the ages when they were deemed capable of breeding.

[iem]

Many thanks for this - have since come across similar cases & now I know I have to keep an open mind ...