School: Bealach, Bansha (roll number 1131)
- Location:
- Ballagh, Co. Tipperary
- Teacher: S. Meiscill
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0575, Page 248
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- XML “The Wren's Day”
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- It is a usual custom in Ireland to follow the wren on St. Stephen's Day. This custom has continued for centuries in Ireland. In former times even men and women looked forward to that day a lot but now they are not interested.
A group of boys and girls used to go seeking for a wren and hollybushes. They would then go home and decorate their bushes with ribbons or coloured strings in readiness for the following day. Some of them killed the wren and tied her on the holly bush, but nowadays this is not done.
They then went round from door to door singing -
The wren, the wren the king of all birds.
St. Stephen's day was caught in the furze,(continues on next page)
