School: Rashina, Athlone
- Location:
- Ros Eidhneach, Co. Uíbh Fhailí
- Teacher: S. Ó Cinnéide
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0810, Page 247
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- St. Stephen's dayOn St. Stephen's day boys go from house to house carrying a wren on a stick. They stand outside the door and if a member of the party is able to play a tune or two is played, if another is able to dance he performs a short bout. Then they take whatever money is offered and depart. Men go on bicycles in batches of six to ten, equipped with musical instruments. They enter a house, one plays, the others dance parts of a quadrille and then depart with whatever money they get. The money collected is used to buy drink to have a spree at night.
The public house is frequented by all the drinking men of the parish on St. Stephen's day. They usually save up for some time previously in order to be able to enjoy themselves thoroughly as they think. Unhappily disgraceful scenes are too often witnessed in the evening. Fighting and rowing are common and often men are to be found lying helplessly on the roadsides.(continues on next page)
