School: Castlepollard Boys (roll number 5513)
- Location:
- Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: William Coghlan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0721, Page 060
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- XML School: Castlepollard Boys
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- XML “Festival Customs”
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- On St. Stephen's Day boys and sometimes men go round with the wren. They play music and sign songs at each house. This is the song that they usually sing: -
The wren, the wren, the king of all birds
St. Stephen's Day he was caught in the furze.
Up with the kettle and down with the pan
Give us a penny to bury the "wran"
The men usually divide the money and spend it on drink and the young people buy sweets and cakes.
Shrove Tuesday is sometimes called Pancake Day. It is called so because people make pancakes and eat them with their tea on that evening. Sometimes a ring is put in them and whoever gets it while eating them it is said they will be maried before that day twelve month. Some years ago a number of marriages were carried out on this day. Shrove Tuesday is often called by the old people "Shraff" Tuesday. Some say it is unlucky to cut your hand on Good Friday. The eggs that are laid on Good Friday are usually marked to be eaten on Easter Sunday. Some people cut their nails and their hair on this day(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Joe Kelly
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath
