School: Cillín Dubh (roll number 9691)

Location:
Killeenduff, Co. Sligo
Teacher:
Seán Ó Ceallaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0165, Page 282

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0165, Page 282

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  3. XML “The Wren-Boys”

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  1. The "Wren" Boys
    The "Wren" boys are boys who dress in funny clothes and go around from house to house on Saint Stephen's day. They carry a wren with them. When they enter each house they say the following rhyme -
    "The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
    On Saint Stephen's day she was caught in the furze
    Up with the kettle and down with then pan
    Give me a penny to bury the wren".
    They carry a musical instrument with them. When they go into a house one plays the music and the others dance. They get a few pence in every house. In the evening they divide the money between them and they buy sweets for it.
    Collected and written by Annie M. Kilcullen, Killeenduff, Easkey.
    Told by her mother - Mrs J Kilcullen, Killeenduff, Easkey
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
        1. Feast of St Stephen (~402)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Annie M. Kilcullen
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Killeenduff, Co. Sligo
    Informant
    Mrs J. Kilcullen
    Relation
    Parent
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Killeenduff, Co. Sligo