School: Clochar na Toirbhirte, Cill Mochua (roll number 15632)
- Location:
- Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny
- Teacher: Sr. M. Calasanctius
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0843, Page 230
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- On St Stephen's Day the "Wren-Boys" go about from house to house singing a song and dancing at the doors. Young boys dress up with girls clothes blacken their faces and have old funny hats and feathers and all manner of dress and decorations to disguise themselves. They carry a bush of holly decorated with ribbons and feathers and if possible a dead wren hanging on the bush. They collect the money in a hat or in a box and then in the evening they divide the money or they sometimes go to a bar and spend it. Often, men dress up and go about and play music on different instuments and get money. The custom is carried on for years even from the olden times and is still. The following song is sung at the doors on St Stephen's Day."The wren, the wren, the King of all birds.
St Stephen's Day, she was caught in the furze.
Altho' she was little, her honour was great.(continues on next page)
- Informant
- M. Googin
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny
