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  3. Muclach

School: Muclach

Location:
Mucklagh, Co. Offaly
Teacher:
S. Ó Néill
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0805, Page 083

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0805, Page 083

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  1. XML School: Muclach
  2. XML Page 083
  3. XML “Festival Customs”

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  1. Festival Customs

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    On St Stephen's Day two or three boys and girls gather to-gether in my district and go from house to house hunting the wren. They go gathering money. They sing the wren song, and here it is:
    "The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
    St Stephens day She was caught in the furze
    Though she is little and her family great,
    Rise up land-lady and give us a treat
    I followed the wren this live long day
    Through dirty mud and yellow clay
    As I was going to Bally na knock I met a
    Wren upon a rock
    So I up with my stick I gave her a knock
    And knocked her into the brandy shop
    Up with the kettle and down with the
    Pan give us an answer and let us go on".
    They dress up. The boys put on girls clothes. The girls put on a trousers and a coat turned in side out. Both boys and girls wear vizards. They bring a holly bush in their hands. They dress up the bush with papers of different colours. They bring
    (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)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Lily Boylan
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Saint O'Hara's Hill, Co. Offaly