School: Cros Riabhach
- Location:
- Crossreagh, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: T. Ó Siordáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1003, Page 336
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- In this Parish candles are lighted in every window of every house in village and country side on Xmas Eve and there are often 8 candles in one window so that on a dark Xmas Eve the scene as one looks around, is very pretty.
The candles are quenched after midnight but are re-lighted in the early Xmas morning as the people set out in the dark for Mass. On St Stephen's Day boys and young men go around in groups of five or six dressed in fantastic garments - one being thatched in straw - and carrying a dead wren (A cruel custom) or feathers attached to a long stick and chanting or sometimes singing the customary rhyme about:
"The Wren; The Wren; The King of all birds
St Stephen's Day she was caught in the furze
etc. etc."
The proceeds of these excursions is divided among the members of the party or used to buy a treat which depends on the tastes and age of the "Wren Boys".Similar parties with a like purpose visit houses when a wedding has taken place but such visits are much resented by the relatives of the Bridal party and scenes of a rowdy character, even ending in bloodshed have been know to occur.
