School: Wilkinstown (roll number 1917)
- Location:
- Wilkinstown, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Máire Ní Failcheallaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0711, Page 051
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- St Stephen's Day -
St Stephen's Day is the day after Xmas Day & the boys look forward to it. They dress themselves in queer clothes and wear false faces. They go from house to house singing, dancing and playing music. The people give them money & sometimes the wren boys have a holly bush and they have a dead wren it it and they say that they want money to bury the wren.
The drink and make merry when night comes. The wren-boys song -
"The wren, the wren, the king of all birds.
St Stephen's Day he was caught in the furze,
Although he is little his family is great
Rise up landlady, and give us a "trate"
And if you are going to give it to use give it to us soon
And let us be away by the light of the moon"Hallow Eve -
This is an old Hallow Eve custom. Place three saucers on a table. Put clay in one, water in another and a ring in the third. Then there is a cloth put over your eyes and you have to walk round the table three times. You put your hand on one of the saucers. If you put it on the one with the clay on it it is supposed to be a(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Nancy Sheridan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Wilkinstown, Co. Meath
