School: Lisnagirl (1)
- Location:
- Lismagiril, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: Harriett Kinkade
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1005, Page 253
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- (continued from previous page)people to support them by giving them money to help them to defray the extremes of burying the Wren. These "Wren Men" are all dressed up in all sorts of attire, so that the people will be unable to identify them at the doors. The majority of them wear false faces or else have their faces blackened. Then they manually wear hats or caps with plumes, well brought down over their eyes. Some of the men wear torn ladies dresses, while others dress in straw or articles of clothing made from sacks. Quite a number of them carry stout sticks, if they are travelling on foot, to ward off dogs or anyone else who might interfere with them. There are usually from three to ten people in each gang and they have generally two or three musical instruments with them such as a melodeon and mouth organ. On arriving at a house they sing, play and dance outside the door, and also repeat the "Wren Song".Most people open the doors to them and give them money. Some people however release the dog, when they hear them approaching and it has also been known in this district for people to throw hot water down on them from the second storey, when they were obliged to retreat.
- Collector
- H. Kinkade
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Teacher
