School: Doire Leathan, Grange (roll number 14843)
- Location:
- Derrylehan, Co. Sligo
- Teacher: -
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0155, Page 407
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- XML School: Doire Leathan, Grange
- XML Page 407
- XML “Christmas Customs”
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- Long ago Christmas was a great time for fun and hospitality and many of the old customs are still carried on by the people round this place. A great cleaning is given to the house and it is white-washed. It is then decorated with holly.
On Christmas Night candles are lighted and put in the front windows as a sign of welcome to travellers - people believed that the Blessed Virgin and the Infant Jesus visited every house in which there was happiness and comfort on that night, and on this account the best part of the supper is left on the table for them.
Some people, when the supper is ready, leave bread and tea and a taste of everything out for the fairies.
During the Christmas a party called "Mummers" go about from house to house at night singing, playing music and dancing.
On St. Stephen's Day the "Wren Boys" go about killing the wren
An old story says that when the Blesses Virgin and Child were going to Egypt they passed by a field where men were sowing(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Brighid Nic Fhearadhaigh
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Rathfrask, Co. Sligo
