School: Baile Uí Mheirigín, Merginstown
- Location:
- Merginstown, Co. Wicklow
- Teacher: Áine Ní Fhearrachtáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0914, Page 263
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- Almost every festival has some old custom attached to it and these are carried out from year to year. In many districts some customs are quite popular while in others they are unheard of
On the feast of St. Bridged a number of men and boys collect in some particular place and form a party called the Briedog. They disguise themselves in such a way as nobody would recognise them and then they start off marching from house to house. In each house they dance a half set while one of the crowd play a melodeon. They also have a figure dressed as St. Bridget which they carry from house to house. This figure is usually made from a churndash because this has a flat head on it and therefore it can stand by itself.
On Shrove Tuesday night people make pancakes from the milk of a freshly calved cow. They also used to burn the Christmas holly on that night.
On St. Stephens day a number of boys go about the country carring a bush decorated with coloured paper and pictures of a wren. They are(continues on next page)
