Volume: CBÉ 0407 (Part 1)

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1. The Mummers' Band (continued)

   

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   right into the dung-lough instead of out on the road. The Roc reached the door & sent the [?] whissing by his ear. I tell you we didn't get next or near the Roc's house again.
   But we were more civilised when we went 'collicking' to a wedding. We always staged a kind of a play at the weeding. It was St Patrick's duty to try & convert Sir John & when that gentleman refused to be convinced by theological arguement, we had recourse to arms. St Patrick of course always won & Sir John, being conquered, had to recant & swear allegiance as a true knight to the true Church."
   [The mummers who attend a wedding are in Co. Carlow called "collickers" They dress up in every kind of fantastic garb in wh. feminine garments predominate They wear masks of some kind or other, speak in assumed voices & generally conduct themselves if well received, except when the match is unpopular when they appear as a rowdy [?] & remain outside & "blow" the couple. This is done by blowing through drain pipes (diameter about 2 ins). I often heard the blowing when I was young, but I think the practice is now obsolete. Before I left the County it was very much condemmed by the clergy]

   ----
   Cf. Seabac's acc of Mummers in Co. Kerry

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Date

   11 August 1908

   Item type

   Lore

   Language

   English

   Writing mode

   Handwritten

   Writing script

   Roman script

   Informant

   • Pádruig Mac Domhnaill