The Wren Song
Wren's Day is celebrated on St. Stephen's Day on December 26th. Traditionally it was celebrated throughout Ireland. Nowadays, the tradition can only be found in some towns.
Originally, boys and men (called wrenboys) would hunt for a wren to bring good luck for the New Year. They'd bring it around with them attached to a small bush they'd carry from house to house asking for money to bury their wren. (They no longer carry around real wrens. Sometimes they carry an effigy of a wren.) The wrenboys go around asking for money and singing wren songs. Some dress up in colorful straw outfits. In some towns they even have parades.
Here's one song that's sung on Wren's Day. Many variations exist.
The Wren Song
St. Stephen's Day Song
The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze, (1)
Although he was little his honor was great,
Jump up me lads and give us a treat.
As I was going to Killenaule,
I met a wren upon the wall.
Up with me wattle (2) and knocked him down,
And brought him in to Carrick Town.
Droolin, Droolin, (3) where's your nest?
Tis in the bush that I love best
Tis in the bush, the holly tree,
Where all the boys do follow me.
Up with the kettle
And down with the pan,
And give us a penny
To bury the wren.
We followed the wren three miles or more,
Three miles or more, three miles or more.
We followed the wren three miles or more,
At six o'clock in the morning.
Mrs. Clancy's a very good woman,
A very good woman, a very good woman,
Mrs. Clancy's a very good woman,
She give us a penny to bury the wren.
Notes
(1) A yellow flowered shrub in the pea family. It's also called a gorse.
(2) A wattle is the name for the stick cut off a bush for the purpose of hunting the wren.
(3) Droolin is the word for wren in Irish Gaelic.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Photo: Wrenboys on St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland.
