School: Druim Beag (roll number 9035)
- Location:
- Drumbeg, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Sinéad Bean de Faoite
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1105, Page 140
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- XML School: Druim Beag
- XML Page 140
- XML “Old Rodger is Dead”
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On this page
- Before you begin to play this game you must choose some three to be Old Rodger + the apple tree + an old woman. Then all the players join their hands except old Rodger he lies down in the centre of the ring + pretends to be dead. While the others go around they sing.
"Old Rodger is dead + laid in his grave,
Laid in his grave, Laid in his grave
Old Rodger is dead + laid in his grave
He, ho, laid in his grave."
Then the go on + sing
"There grew an old apple tree over his head,
Over his head, Over his head,
There grew an old apple tree over his head,
He, ho, over his head,
Then person who is appointed to be the apple tree go[?] + stands over old Rodger when the others begin to sing about the apple tree. The next verse they sing is,
When the apples were ripe they all fell off.
All fell off, All fell off, When the apples were ripe they
All fell off. He, ho, All fell off.
Next they sing -
There came an old woman a picking them up.
A picking them up , A picking them up.
There came an old woman a picking them up
He, ho, a picking them up.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Rita Mc Auley
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 14
- Address
- Drumbeg, Co. Donegal
