School: Scairt (B.), Cill Dairbhe (roll number 4126)
- Location:
- Scart, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Pádraig Ó Rinn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0375, Page 169
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- XML “Local Customs”
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- The Christmas festivals are held on Christmas Day in this part of the country. Everybody remains in his or her own house. Any members of the family who are away come home to celebrate Christmas a home with their relations.
On Christmas Eve a big candle is lighted, and the candle is decorated with holly and ivy and coloured papers. It is put standing in a turnip it is not put in a candlestick because a candlestick would not be big or strong enough to hold this big candle.
The houses are decorated with holly. The holly with berries is the favourite, but it is very scarce. Everything for the Christmas dinner is got ready the night before.
On St Stephen's day the young boys dress up in funny clothes. They catch a wren and put him in a holly-bush. They set out very early on St Stephen's morning, with mouth organs and tin cans, with these they make a lot of noise. They sing songs about the wren and the place they are in. They say.-
The wren, the wren the King of all birds,
Saint Stephen's day he was caught in the furze,
We hunted up and we hunted him into Kildorrery town,
Up with kettle and down with the pan,
Give us our answer and let us be gone.(continues on next page)
