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School: Ferbane (Convent)

Location:
Ferbane, Co. Offaly
Teacher:
Sr. Patrick
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0813, Page 399

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0813, Page 399

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  1. XML School: Ferbane (Convent)
  2. XML Page 399
  3. XML “Festival Customs”

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  1. Festival Customs

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    On Christmas night long coloured candles are lighted and put in the windows to show light to our Lord on his journey to Bethlehem. A goose or a turkey is killed for the dinner on Christmas Day.
    Saint Stephen's Day is on the 26th December. Crowds of boys dress up and go from house to house playing music and dancing. The song they sing is:-
    "The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
    Saint Stephen's Day he was caught in the furze,
    Up with the kettle and down with the pan,
    A penny or twopence, to bury the wren".
    A boy in every crowd has a box in which he puts the money collected. When they are finished they divide the money equally between themselves and each one buys what he likes.
    They are called "The Wren Boys".
    On New Year's Day the cock jumps on the dungheap for a longer day.
    The Epiphany is on the 6th of January.
    (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
    Mary Josephine Kenny
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Ferbane, Co. Offaly