School: Liath-Mhuine

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1. Local Festival Customs

   

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   In times gone by for days previous to the coming of St. Stephen's Day, the young folk of the neighbourhood would be seen beating the furze in pursuit of the wren. When the poor little victim was captured he was hung to the end of a stick, on St. Stephen's Day. Fortunately this practice has fallen into disuse and although the wren boys still make an appearance on the Anniversary of St. Stephen's Day the wren is no longer a victim of an otherwise harmless and amusing custom.

   The boys and girls who intend to to mumming are very busy for ages previous to the great event, collecting odd bits of old curtain lace, scraps of coloured cloth etc. to form their disguise.

   They meet at an appointed place to dress and wearning masks, bought or homemade, they go from door to door in great joy playing their bands and giving a display of their talent as musicians and stepdancers, and at the end of each performance, they ask the head of each house to give them some money. They ask the money in the following sort of rhyme

   The wren, the wren, the king of all birds
   St. Stephen's day was caught in the furze
   Up with the kettle and down with the pan

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Joan Lyons

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Cooga, Co. Sligo