School: Newtown (roll number 3275)

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1. Festival Customs (continued)

   

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   Sunday morning.
   A May bush is erected in a hedge on May Day. Long ago, the children used to form a ring round the bush and sing:
   "Oh, crown the Queen of May,
   Oh, crown the Queen of May.
   Around the ring, will dance and sing,
   And crown the Queen of May."
   Bonfires are lit on St. John's Eve.
   "If on St. Swithin's Day, it doth rain, for forty days it shall remain."
   'Snap-Apple' and the 'Pairing of Nuts' are among the many games played on Hallowe'en night.
   On St. Stephen's Day, parties of boys go from house to house singing, playing music etc. These boys, who are disguised, carry a bush, to which is tied a dead wren. As they go along, they sing:
   "The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
   St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze,
   Though her body is small, her family is great,
   So up with you lady amd give us a trate,
   Up with the kettle, down with the plan. Give us some money to bury the wran" (wren).

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Thomas Slevin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Mentrim, Co. Meath

   Informant

   Joseph Leonard

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Mentrim, Co. Meath