School: Gort na Carraige (Rockfield) (roll number 9009)

Location:
Knocknashangan, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Nóra Nic Aodhagáin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1029, Page 229

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1029, Page 229

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  3. XML “A Song or a Rhyme”

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  1. A Song or a Rhyme

    Room, Room, give me room,

    These are the Rhymes which the Mummers recite when they go round the parish at Christmas. When they go out they are dressed in white shirts, (worn over their ordinary clothing) green or red sashes, paper hats decked with long paper ribbons which hang downwards concealing their faces and other apparel according to the character they are playing.
    When they come to a house the first man who is called “Room” raps loudly on the door and shout “any admittance for Mummers.” The door is opened and room with a stick in his hand dashes in and walks round the room sweeping everything out of the (way) with his stick and shouting:-
    Room, Room, give me room,
    Room to act, room to rhyme,
    It is coming up to Christmas time,
    Christmas comes but once a year,
    And when it comes in brings good cheer.
    And if you don’t believe what I say,
    Enter the captain and he'll soon clear the way
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. genre
      1. poetry
        1. folk poetry (~9,504)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Martin Keegan
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Templenew, Co. Donegal
    Informant
    Patrick Fannon
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    22
    Address
    Lissacholly, Co. Donegal