School: Cill Mhuire (C.), Oileán Ciarraí (roll number 10395)

Location:
Kilmurry, Co. Kerry
Teacher:
Máiréad Pléimeann
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0449, Page 066

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0449, Page 066

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  1. XML School: Cill Mhuire (C.), Oileán Ciarraí
  2. XML Page 066
  3. XML “The Strawboys”
  4. XML “Biddy's Night”

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    the captain calls a different number to either sing, dance a step or recite. They rarely stay longer than an hour. Several "batches" often come. They all act in the same manner.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
  2. On the eve of Saint Brigid's day, and on the night of her feast the boys disguise themselves and go in the " Biddy ". The dressed doll which the captain carries is called Brigdín.
    When they file into a house between 7 and ten o clock the captain calls on different numbers to sing, dance, or recite. Sometimes they give an accordion or a violin solo, or a duet. Having done so the captain holds up Brigdín, and asks for something for the Biddy.
    They usually get 6d, 1/1, or 2/-. About a week after they give a night, and invite their girl friends. This is known as " The Biddy Night ". It is always over before lent, though sometimes it is as late as Shrove Tuesday.
    Pancakes are always served for the Tea on Shrove Tuesday.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
        1. rites of passage (~573)
    2. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
    Language
    English