- Wren Day
Wren day also known as Wren's day, Hunt the Wren Day or The Hunting of the Wrens ( _ga. Lá an Dreoilín) is celebrated on
December 26 ,St. Stephen's Day , on theIsle of Man ,Ireland andWales . The tradition consists of "hunting" a fake wren, and putting it on top of a decorated pole. Then the crowds of "mummers " or "strawboys" celebrate theWren (also pronounced as the "Wran") by dressing up in masks straw suits and colourful motley clothing and, accompanied by traditionalcéilí music bands, parade through the towns and villages in remembrance of a festival that was celebrated by theDruid s.Originally, a band of small boys known as "
Wrenboys " hunted down a realwren , until they either caught it, or killed it. Once the bird was dead, the boys would carry it around the town, singing. The song, of which there are many variations, asked for donations from the townspeople. Often, the boys gave a feather from the bird to patrons for good luck. The money was used to host a dance for the town, held that night. A pole decorated with ribbons, wreaths, and flowers was the center of the dance. The bird was put on top of the pole.Over time, the live bird was replaced with a fake one that is hidden, rather than chased. The band of young boys has expanded to include girls, and adults often join in. The money that is collected from the townspeople is usually donated to a school or charity. A celebration is still held around the decorated pole.
Some people theorise that the Wren celebration has descended from
Celtic mythology . Sources suggest that theDruids used thewren inaugury and might have studied its flight, amongst other birds, to derive predictions about the future. It may also have been introduced or influenced by Scandinavian settlers during theViking invasions of the 8th-10th Centuries. Various associated legends exist, such as the wren bird being responsible for betraying Irish soldiers who fought the Viking invaders by beating its wings on theirshield s, in the late first and early second millennia, and for betraying theChristian martyrSaint Stephen , after whom the day is named. This mythological association with treachery is a probable reason why in past times the bird was hunted by Wrenboys onSt. Stephen's Day . Despite the abandonment of the wren killing practice, devoted Wrenboys continue to ensure that the Gaelic tradition of celebrating the Wren continues to this day.Songs
In 1955
Liam Clancy recorded "The Wran Song" (the Wren song), which was sung in Ireland by Wrenboys. In 1972Steeleye Span recorded "The King" on "Please to See the King", which is along similar lines. They made another version on their album "Time". "Hunting the Wren" is onJohn Kirkpatrick 's album "Wassail!".The Chieftains made a collection of Wrenboy tunes on "Bells of Dublin". The custom has been revived in Suffolk in the 1990s.See also
*
Wrenboys
*St. Stephen's Day
*Jonkonnu parades
*Cutty Wren External links
* [http://www.dingle-peninsula.ie/wren.html Hunting the Wren on the Dingle peninsula] - An excellent account of the origins, history, contemporary aspects and international connections of the Wren.
* [http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=17900 Discussions about the Wren song]
* [http://www.dun-laoghaire.com/dir/wranboys.html Wren Boy Festival]
* [http://irelandsown.net/wrenday.html Wren Day]
* [http://www.fustar.info/2005/12/26/caught-in-the-furze/ The Weird Side of St. Stephen's day in Ireland & Elsewhere] (Fustar.info)
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