School: Duíbhlios
- Location:
- Deelish, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Seán Ó Súilleabháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0303, Page 206
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- In this locality the "Wren boys" go from house to house on St Stpehen's day. They have all kinds of instruments for making music such as mouth-organs and tin cans. They colour their faces and put on old clothes and sing the following song:-"The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
St Stephen's day he was caught in the furze,
All though he is little his family is great,
Cheer up old lady and give us a treat,
If you give it of the best,
I hope in Heaven your soul may rest,
But if you give of the small,
It will not do the boys at all."Sometimes the band of singers consists of as many as twenty. They remain out side the door until they get some money, or if not, they do some harm such as breaking the window or door. Then when they have the district travelled they divide the money between them and spend it at the races in Drimoleague on that day.Eileen McCarthy, Leitra
- Collector
- Eileen Mc Carthy
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Leitry Lower, Co. Cork
