School: Druim na dTréad
- Location:
- Drumnatread, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: S. Stondúin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1019, Page 228
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- St Stephens's Day
In my district a number of boys young and old go out on St Stephen's Day for that was always their custom. On that day they dress up in different clothes the way they would not be known. They polish their faces and put on false faces on them and old hats with coloured feathers on them.
When they come to the door they have a little verse of a song and they sing it. The verse is. 'The wren the wren the King of all birds, St Stephen's Day she was caught in a furze , Up with the skillet down with the pan, A penny or two pence to bury the wren". "Then they say give us the treat".
About four or six boys come into a house. One boy has a fiddle and another boy has a box for the money and the other boys dance a horn-pipe. When they are going out they be thankful for the money they get and wish the people a happy New Year.
Some of the schoolboys go out on St Stephens Day but they don't be as funny as the big boys. Th young boys do not dance or do not be half as well dressed. They get about a penny or two pence and the big boy about sixpence or maybe a shilling(continues on next page)
- Collector
- James P. Mc Cauley
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Drumnatread, Co. Cavan
- Informant
- Patrick Mc Cauley
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Drumnatread, Co. Cavan
