School: Faltia
- Location:
- Faltia, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Thomas Quinn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0273, Page 178
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- XML “Festival Customs”
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- Every year we celebrate a great feast in honour of St. Stephen. It is held on the twentysixth of December. The night before the little boys go too a neighbouring house that is thatched, and search for a wren.
When the find a wren they bring it home, and put it in a cage. The next morning the get up very early and eat a good breakfast. The rime they sing is "the wren, the wren the King of all birds, St. Stephens day, She was caught in the furze, all though he was little his family was great, rise up landlady and give him a treat. All silver and no brass half a crown is not much, but it is up with the kettle and down with the pan to comfort yourself and your jolly old man."
St. Brigid feast is held on the first of February and all the young people enjoy themselves on that night, because the dress up in old rags of clothes, and the put masks on their faces, and go round to the houses unknown to everybody. Some of them bring music with them, and stand outside the doors playing it.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Julia Gaffey
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Moore North, Co. Roscommon
- Informant
- Mrs Gaffey
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 40
- Address
- Moore North, Co. Roscommon
