School: An Mhainistir, Malla (roll number 12519)
- Location:
- Mallow, Co. Cork
- Teacher: An Bráthair Lúcás
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0369, Page 577
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- XML “Festival Customs”
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On this page
- On St Stephens day the boys in this district dress themselves up in queer clothes and they go around from house to house singing the "wren song" and gathering money.
The wren song is as follows -
The wren the wren the king of all birds
St. Stephens day he was caught in the furze
From bush to bush from tree to tree
Holly go round and broke his knee.
Up with the kettle and down with the pot
Give us our answer and let us be off
Mr ---- is a noble man and to his house we brought the wren
And if his nobility be so great why doesn't he give the "wren boys" a treat.
I have a little box under my arm.(continues on next page)
