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  3. Flower Hill

School: Flower Hill (roll number 12788)

Location:
Flower Hill, Co. Meath
Teacher:
Isabel Mc Quade
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0700, Page 348

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0700, Page 348

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  3. XML “Local Customs - St Stephen's Day”

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  1. Local Customs - St Stephen's Day (continued)

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    (continued from previous page)
    On St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze,
    Though he was little he family was great,
    So, Step up now young ladies and give us a treat."
    They then select their partners and dance in the street to the tune of mouth organs.
    It is very cruel to kill the wren. But if you ask a wren boy why he does it he says, "Once when the Irish were attacking the Danes at night a wren pecked at the ear of a sleeping Danish sentry who woke and saw the Irish and gave the alarm and so he deserves all the punishment he gets."
    Hare are some more wren songs:-
    "The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
    On St. Stephen's Day he was caught in the furze,
    Rise up with the kettles and down with the pan,
    And give us some money to bury the wren."
    (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
    Informant
    Stanley Elliott
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Flower Hill, Co. Meath