Marriage Banns circa 1850s-60s

[Maiden Stone]

Lin, would you please give the dates of marriages and names of people being married so that we are all looking at exactly the same entry in the marriage register.  What I can make out from the pages which Sinann posted are some weddings which seem to have more than the minimum 2 witnesses. Do the names include that of the priest?

[LinJM]

Yes, Sinann, especially the first one with the full word banns. I actually think I figured out the answer to my own question: the marriages are being recorded and "banns" or "B" is a note to indicate that banns were read, not that the record is a record of the banns. Do you agree?

[Sinann]

Yes, I think your correct, it is after all the marriage register, but still having 3 witnesses is rather unusual, it may be something common in the area or something the parish priest of the day wanted.

I found one in 1864 Hugh Gilmartin and Bridget Loughlin, with 3 witnesses than looked for it in the civil registration only the first two witnesses are listed on the civil cert.
Top of right hand page
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634837#page/26/mode/1up
Civil cert, last one on the page.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1864/11617/8276905.pdf

I haven't looked carefully through it all but I think the 3 witnesses stops when the hand writing changes so probably something to do with the priest.

[Elwyn Soutter]

I have also seen 3 witnesses where one was a child. There’s nothing to stop a child being a witness. There’s no minimum age, but some Priests & Ministers aren’t always comfortable with a very young witness in which case sometimes an additional adult signs.

[LinJM]

Thanks all for your interest in my problem and all your thoughtful analyses.
Lin