School: Carrickallen

Location:
Carrickallen, Co. an Chabháin
Teacher:
A. Lynch
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1022, Page 220

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1022, Page 220

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  3. XML “Festival Customs”

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  1. On St. Stephen's day a pious practise handed down from the days of our grandmothers is to abstain from flesh meat so as to be preserved from all contigious diseases during the year.
    On this day the wren boys go round from house to house playing melodeons or French fiddles.
    When they come to the doors of the people's houses they recite the following rhyme
    The wren the wren the king of all birds on St. Stephen's day she was caught in the furze.
    Although she is small her family is great, rise up alnd lady and give us a treat.
    Its not a treat we want but money we crave and if we don't get it we'll dig up the wren's grave.
    (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
    Paud O' Donoghue
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Carrickallen, Co. an Chabháin