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School: Cnoc na Manach, An Mhainistir Bhán, Cionn tSáile (roll number 1391)

Location:
Knocknamanagh, Co. Cork
Teacher:
Dáithí de Barra
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0321, Page 108

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0321, Page 108

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  1. XML School: Cnoc na Manach, An Mhainistir Bhán, Cionn tSáile
  2. XML Page 108
  3. XML “St Stephen's Day”

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  1. St Stephen's Day

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    The boys and in some cases young men dress up in funny clothes and face and eyes.
    They get a wren and a holly bush with ribbons and go around from house to house gathering money.
    Some of them play a music box or a fiddle while they are singing the wren's song.
    Others dress up horses or donkeys and go around
    The wren the wren the king of all birds
    St Stephen's Day he was caught on the furze
    Although he was little his family was great
    Rise up landladies and give us a treat
    If you don't give at all
    It won't agree with the wren boys at all
    If you give up best
    I hope in Heaven your soul will rest
    I hunted the wren five miles and more
    Through ditches and hedges my feet are all tore
    I hit him a blow and he couldn't see
    And now he is on the holly tree
    Down the glen boys we did beat
    Our gentleman to over take
    We over took him in the glen
    Which caused the wren boys to sing
    Sing holly Sing Ivy
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
        1. Feast of St Stephen (~402)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    James Daly
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Granig, Co. Cork