School: Drom Mór (C.), Beantraí (roll number 13096)
- Location:
- Dromore, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Sibéal Bean Uí Dhrioscoil
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0294, Page 115
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- XML School: Drom Mór (C.), Beantraí
- XML Page 115
- XML “Festival Customs - St Stephen's Day 26th December”
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- On St Stephen's Day 26th. December the young boys of this district gather together and go around from house to house singing a little song and asking for money to bury the wren. These are called "wren boys".
They go in companies of two or three and one has a furze bush on which is, sometimes a dead wren, or coloured papers. Another carries a little money box with a hole in the cover, into which they put the money they get. They generally have a mouth-organ and they play a tune for the people, who give them money and sing this little verse:-The "wran the wran" the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's Day he was caught in the furze
Although he is little his family is great,
Rise up old woman and give us a "trate".They are dressed in old clothes of different colours and wear face and eyes on their faces or they paint them.
A few years ago a great many of grown-up boys used to go around on Christmas Day night. These go out every year and make fun for the country people.
They often travel eight or nine miles and they sometimes hold a dance on that night with the money which they collected during the day.
- Collector
- Shíle Ní Concubhair
- Gender
- Female
