School: Donore (roll number 6668)
- Location:
- Dún Uabhair, Co. na Mí
- Teacher: Maighréad Nic Eóin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0682, Page 080
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- Festival CustomsSt. Stephen's Day
The old custom of "going round with the wren" still exists in this district. The boys dress up in all sorts of old clothes, put false faces on so that no one will know them, and go from house to house, singing, dancing, and saying rhymes. The rhyme, which used to be said, and which is still said, is:-
"The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's Day she was caught in the furze.
Altho' he is little, his family is great,
So rise up, young lady, and give us a treat.
Up with the kettle, and down with the pan,
Give us some money to bury the wren.
He dipped his nose in a barrel of beer,
I wish you all a happy New Year".In olden times the boys first gathered together and hunted a wren until they killed it. Then they tied it to a piece of a furze bush which they carried around with them. They do not kill the wren now.
People are usually very kind to the "wren boys". They give them money or some of the Christmas good things - pudding etc.
The money collected is divided equally among the boys taking part.
- Collector
- Patrick Carry
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Mrs Mary Kevitt
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 62
- Address
- An Seandroichead, Co. na Mí
