School: Ballyfeeny (roll number 9468)

Location:
Cill Ghlais, Co. Ros Comáin
Teacher:
Cáit, Bean Uí Mhurthuile
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0255, Page 342

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0255, Page 342

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  3. XML “Festival Customs”

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  1. St. Stephen's Day
    On St. Stephen's Day it is a custom for the boys of the village to hire a car for that day. They dress as wren boys, and go over a large strip of the country gathering money. They bring musical with them, and play and dance in each house.
    Sometimes a crowd of boys dress and go from house to house for a couple of miles around with a wren on a pole. In each house they say or sing the song of the wren boys:-
    The wren the wren the king of all birds
    St. Stephen's day was caught in the furze
    The wren being little the family being great
    Rise up landlady and give us a treat
    And if the treat is anyway small
    It won't agree with the wren-boys at all
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. ócáidí
      1. ócáidí (de réir trátha bliana) (~11,476)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Mary J. Fallon
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Ballyhubert, Co. Ros Comáin
    Informant
    Mr Fallon
    Relation
    Parent
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Ballyhubert, Co. Ros Comáin