School: Gráinseach, Cill Mocheallóg (roll number 9970)

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1. Festival Customs - St Stephen's Day (continued)

   

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   We followed this wren three miles or more,
   Through hedges and ditches and frost and snow,
   *We broke her knee in Caherlee, And brought her home in a holly bush tree

   1. Holly and ivy well set up,
   1. The man of the house has very good luck,

   A bottle of wine and a bottle of beer
   I wish you all a Happy New Year.
   Up with the kettle and down with the pan
   Give us our answer and let us begone".

   * Other rhymers sing those two lines thus "At Caherconlish we broke her knee, And brought her home in a holly tree."

   Mr. Thomas Bulfin - Farmer -
   Grange, Kilmallock.

   Another version of this song is
   "The wren, the wren, the king of all birds, St. Stephen's Day she was caught in the furze,
   Although she was little, her family's great,
   Rise up old lady and give us a trait.

   1. Other Rhymers omit those two lines and say instead "Silk and satin by her side, And the "Grange Boys" to be her guide"

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
         1. Feast of St Stephen (~402)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mr Thomas Bulfin

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Grange, Co. Limerick