School: Séipéal na Carraige (roll number 5478)

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1. Festival Customs - Saint Patrick's Day (continued)

   

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   very indignantly way and said - "Do you know the 3rd commandment?" The fiddler's answer was - "Whistle it for me first." Another local character, was going home after a good spree, he was staggering from side to side. The priest met him and said:- "You have a long road before you John." The man replied - "Tisn't the length of it that bothers me at all, Father, its the breath.

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2. Festival Customs - Saint Stephen's Day

   

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   On this day a number of young fellows and sometimes young girls dress up in fantastic clothes, and their faces painted or hi-fiddles on them. They have a number of musical instruments, such as violins and accordeons. They march along four deep, playing and singing. One wren-boy having a holly-bush, with a dead wren on it marches in front of the others.

   When they come to the houses, the fellow with the holly-bush walks in first, saying out loud -

   "The wren, the wren the King of all birds,
   On Saint Stephen's Day, he was caugh in the furze.
   Although he is small, his family is great,
   So arise good friends, and give us a treat.

   Two of the wren-boys step-

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

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