School: Altóir, Tuar Mór, An Sciobairín (roll number 12071)

Location:
Altar, Co. Cork
Teacher:
Henry Evanson
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0287, Page 241

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0287, Page 241

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  1. XML School: Altóir, Tuar Mór, An Sciobairín
  2. XML Page 241
  3. XML “St Stephen's Day - The Wren Song”

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  1. St. Stephen's Day is the day afer Christmas Day.
    On that day a lot of boys gather together and they go around from house to house singing the "Wren Song."
    First of all they catch the wren and then they tie him to a big long stick which is decorated with holly and ivy, ribbons and coloured papers, and which is borne by one of the company on that day when travelling through the country on their "rounds".
    The boys dress themselves also with coloured papers and ribbons, and one boy chosen by the others to act as clown has to put on a big cloak and paint his face black mixed with a few other colours.
    Then they get a tin to hold the money that they hope to collect from house to house. One boy takes the tin for the money, another the stick on which the wren is tied, and another takes a horn, which he blows when they are
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
        1. Feast of St Stephen (~402)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Edith Grace Roycroft
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Cove, Co. Cork