School: Scoil Mhuire (B.)

Location:
Skull, Co. Cork
Teacher:
Liam Ó Raghallaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0291, Page 545

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0291, Page 545

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  1. XML School: Scoil Mhuire (B.)
  2. XML Page 545
  3. XML “St Stephen's Day”

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  1. On St Stephen's Day in this district parties of boys decorate their clothes with coloured ribbons, and go singing the wren song from house to house. They take with them a long pole on the top of which they tie a big bunch of holly and ivy. The practice of tieing a dead wren on to the bunch of holly has now died out.
    In different parts of the country there are different versions of the song, but they all begin with the following words:
    The wren, the wren the king of all birds
    St Stephen's Day he was caught in the furze
    Although he's little his family's great
    Rise up old lady, and give us our treat.
    In this district wren is pronounced 'wran' and treat, 'trate'.
    The money received is divided among the boys, but sometimes a 'wren dance'
    (continues on next page)
    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