School: Mercy Convent
- Location:
- Belturbet, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: The Sisters
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0972, Page 044
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- XML “Festival Customs”
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- Festival Customs
14.2.1938In this district some festivals are observed in a special manner. On St.Steven's Day boys dress up in skirts and blouses or in white and brightly coloured trousers and have their faces painted or wear false faces. They go around from house to house playing on melodians or mouth organs and sing and dance outside the doors. Although they are called "wren-boys" they do not carry a wren with them. The people usually give them money. The boys divide the money in the evening. Some of them give the money to their parents and others spend it on sweets and cigarettes.
On St.Brigid's Day some people gather rushes and make them into crosses which they hang inside the doors of their houses. These crosses are called St.Brigid's crosses. They are supposed to bring luck to the house.
People wear shamrocks pinned in(continues on next page)
- Collector
- May Lawlor
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Dernaglush, Co. Cavan
