School: Clochar na Toirbhirte, Caisleán an Chomair (roll number 10835)
- Location:
- Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny
- Teacher: Na Mná Rialta
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0865, Page 065
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- On St. Stephen's Day it is an old custom in this district for young men and boys to put on women's clothes. Some wear vizards and others paint their faces. The decorate a holly bush with coloured papers and ribbons. They carry it from door to door and gather money. They sing the following song.The wren, the wren the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's Day 'twas caught in the furze
Although she is little her family was great.
Rise up young lady and give us a trate. (treat)
Up with the kettle and down with the pan.
A penny or twopence to bury the wran. (wren)One is in charge of the money and in the evening they divide it amongst each other. That night the Wren Boys go to the pictures.
On St. Brigid's Day women dress in different kinds of clothes and go around with the Brighid Óg to other houses where they dance.
In Castlecomer the children call Shrove Tuesday Pancake Day. Each child's mother makes pancakes on that day. Some of the school child write the following song on(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Eileen Devlin
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Donaguile, Co. Kilkenny
