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School: Leitir Bric (roll number 14924)

Location:
Letterbrick, Co. Mayo
Teacher:
Seán Ó Grannacháin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0151, Page 647

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0151, Page 647

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  3. XML “Féilí na Bliana - St Stephen's Day”

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  1. Féilí na Bliana - St Stephen's Day

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    St Stephen's Day falls on the 26th December. It is an old custom in this place that the children go out every year gathering money to bury the wren. They gather money or eggs. They pretend to have a wren and that they want help to bury him. They dress up with a straw hat and any old clothes. The boys put on girls clothes.
    Long ago the people went out at night and they had music. When they went into a house, they danced and played and sang. They had a rhyme and they said it in every house before they got anything. Here it is:
    Mr - is a worthy man.
    Into his house we have brought the wren.
    The wren, the wren, the king of all birds
    St Stephen's Day he was caught in the furze.
    Sing ivy, Sing holly, sing holly, sing ivy
    (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)
        1. Feast of St Stephen (~402)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Margaret Browne
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Tawnakeel, Co. Mayo
    Informant
    Charles Browne
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    75
    Address
    Tawnakeel, Co. Mayo