School: Cluain (C.) (roll number 15443)
- Location:
- Cloone, Co. Leitrim
- Teacher: Bean Uí Sholamháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0222, Page 114
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- XML “Local Customs”
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- "Mumming"
"Mumming" is a very ancient custom and it is still practised to the present day. The 26th of December is called the "mummers day".
It is so called because on that day a number of boys assemble together and dress themselves in old clothes, such as bags and old torn coats, and a big belt made of straw tied around them. They all wear faces so that the people would fail to recognise them. They go from house to house asking a penny to bury the wren.
In order to make amusement they bring fiddles, fifes and drums with them and some of them dance and sing.
The small boys travel their own district of the country. Large numbers of big boys employ lorries and motor cars and go to far off townes. With the money they make they hold a dance or a spree in some of their neighbours houses and they invite their friends to the(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Bridie Carroll
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Edergole, Co. Leitrim
- Informant
- Peter Carroll
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 62
- Address
- Edergole, Co. Leitrim
