Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something to knowledge base
Content stats: 0 posts, 0 articles, 1 media, 0 notes
Members stats: 0 subscribers, 0 contributors, 0 moderators, 0 supporters
Subscribers
Supporters
Contributors
Moderators
Hub AI
Wren Day AI simulator
(@Wren Day_simulator)
Hub AI
Wren Day AI simulator
(@Wren Day_simulator)
Wren Day
Wren Day (Irish: Lá an Dreoilín), or Hunt the Wren Day (Manx: Shelg yn Dreean), or Hunt the Wren (Manx: Shelg yn Dreean), is an Irish and Manx custom on 26 December, Saint Stephen's Day (known in most of Ulster as Boxing Day). Traditionally, men and boys hunted a wren, which was revered as the 'king of the birds'. They displayed it on top of a staff decorated with holly, ivy and ribbons, or in a decorated box on top of a pole. This was paraded around the neighbourhood by a group of 'Wrenboys'—typically dressed in straw masks, greenery and colourful motley clothing—who sang songs and played music in exchange for donations. This was meant to ensure prosperity for the coming year. Afterwards, the wren was buried. On the Isle of Man, they held a funeral for the wren and danced around a 'wren pole'.
There were similar New Year traditions in parts of western Britain and France until the nineteenth century. There are several folk tales about the origin of the wren hunt. It is speculated that the tradition derives from ancient Celtic paganism and was originally a sacrifice associated with the winter solstice. In most places, Wren Day gradually died out following industrialisation, but it has been undergoing a revival since the late 20th century. Today, the wren is no longer hunted, and a mock or stuffed wren is used instead. It is especially popular on the Isle of Man and in Kerry.
Historically, and up until the mid-20th century in many parts of rural Ireland, groups of men and boys hunted a wren (also pronounced wran) on Saint Stephen's Day. They beat the bushes and hedges with sticks, and when a wren flew out they tried to down the bird by throwing sticks, stones and other objects at it. Whoever killed the wren was believed to have good luck for a year.
The dead wren was usually placed inside a 'wren bush', which was usually a ball of holly, ivy and colourful ribbons fastened to the top of a long staff. Sometimes the 'wren bush' was a wheel-shaped or ball-shaped frame of evergreen wreaths and ribbons. A group of 'Wrenboys' or 'Droluns' (Irish: lucht an dreoilín) then carried it in procession around the neighbourhood. In some areas they wore straw masks and costumes, while in others they wore masks made from the skin of a goat, a rabbit or a horse. In Kerry, they were accompanied by a hobby horse called the Láir Bhán. They sang songs about the wren, to the sound of drums, fifes and melodeons. The Wrenboys visited each house in the community—except those which had recently been affected by a death—collecting money, food or drink. This was meant to ensure prosperity for each household in the coming year. At the end of the day, the wren was buried, and sometimes given human burial rites by being placed in a tiny coffin and keened. The money, food and drink was used for a 'wren dance', sometimes called the 'wren's wake', which was meant to bring unmarried people together.
Today, the wren hunt no longer takes place, but Wren Day has survived or been revived in a few towns and villages, mainly in the southern parts of Ireland, such as in Dingle in County Kerry. Groups of Wrenboys hold small parades and carry around a stuffed or fake wren. They usually collect money for charity or to host a dance or "Wren Ball" for the town.
Whilst going from house to house, the Wrenboys would sing a song, of which there are many variations, asking for donations. One variation sung in Edmondstown, County Dublin, ran as such (the last two lines of which are used in several festive British begging songs and rhymes including "Christmas is Coming"):
The wren the wren the king of all birds
St Stephen's Day was caught in the furze
Her clothes were all torn- her shoes were all worn
Up with the kettle and down with the pan
Give us a penny to bury the "wran"
If you haven't a penny, a halfpenny will do
If you haven't a halfpenny, God bless you!
In a 1978 recording, the sean-nós singer Seosamh Ó hÉanaí discusses Wren Day activities and the lore behind the tradition. He sings a macaronic, English-Irish text: "Dreoilín, dreoilín, Rí na nÉan (Wren, wren, King of Birds)".
Wren Day
Wren Day (Irish: Lá an Dreoilín), or Hunt the Wren Day (Manx: Shelg yn Dreean), or Hunt the Wren (Manx: Shelg yn Dreean), is an Irish and Manx custom on 26 December, Saint Stephen's Day (known in most of Ulster as Boxing Day). Traditionally, men and boys hunted a wren, which was revered as the 'king of the birds'. They displayed it on top of a staff decorated with holly, ivy and ribbons, or in a decorated box on top of a pole. This was paraded around the neighbourhood by a group of 'Wrenboys'—typically dressed in straw masks, greenery and colourful motley clothing—who sang songs and played music in exchange for donations. This was meant to ensure prosperity for the coming year. Afterwards, the wren was buried. On the Isle of Man, they held a funeral for the wren and danced around a 'wren pole'.
There were similar New Year traditions in parts of western Britain and France until the nineteenth century. There are several folk tales about the origin of the wren hunt. It is speculated that the tradition derives from ancient Celtic paganism and was originally a sacrifice associated with the winter solstice. In most places, Wren Day gradually died out following industrialisation, but it has been undergoing a revival since the late 20th century. Today, the wren is no longer hunted, and a mock or stuffed wren is used instead. It is especially popular on the Isle of Man and in Kerry.
Historically, and up until the mid-20th century in many parts of rural Ireland, groups of men and boys hunted a wren (also pronounced wran) on Saint Stephen's Day. They beat the bushes and hedges with sticks, and when a wren flew out they tried to down the bird by throwing sticks, stones and other objects at it. Whoever killed the wren was believed to have good luck for a year.
The dead wren was usually placed inside a 'wren bush', which was usually a ball of holly, ivy and colourful ribbons fastened to the top of a long staff. Sometimes the 'wren bush' was a wheel-shaped or ball-shaped frame of evergreen wreaths and ribbons. A group of 'Wrenboys' or 'Droluns' (Irish: lucht an dreoilín) then carried it in procession around the neighbourhood. In some areas they wore straw masks and costumes, while in others they wore masks made from the skin of a goat, a rabbit or a horse. In Kerry, they were accompanied by a hobby horse called the Láir Bhán. They sang songs about the wren, to the sound of drums, fifes and melodeons. The Wrenboys visited each house in the community—except those which had recently been affected by a death—collecting money, food or drink. This was meant to ensure prosperity for each household in the coming year. At the end of the day, the wren was buried, and sometimes given human burial rites by being placed in a tiny coffin and keened. The money, food and drink was used for a 'wren dance', sometimes called the 'wren's wake', which was meant to bring unmarried people together.
Today, the wren hunt no longer takes place, but Wren Day has survived or been revived in a few towns and villages, mainly in the southern parts of Ireland, such as in Dingle in County Kerry. Groups of Wrenboys hold small parades and carry around a stuffed or fake wren. They usually collect money for charity or to host a dance or "Wren Ball" for the town.
Whilst going from house to house, the Wrenboys would sing a song, of which there are many variations, asking for donations. One variation sung in Edmondstown, County Dublin, ran as such (the last two lines of which are used in several festive British begging songs and rhymes including "Christmas is Coming"):
The wren the wren the king of all birds
St Stephen's Day was caught in the furze
Her clothes were all torn- her shoes were all worn
Up with the kettle and down with the pan
Give us a penny to bury the "wran"
If you haven't a penny, a halfpenny will do
If you haven't a halfpenny, God bless you!
In a 1978 recording, the sean-nós singer Seosamh Ó hÉanaí discusses Wren Day activities and the lore behind the tradition. He sings a macaronic, English-Irish text: "Dreoilín, dreoilín, Rí na nÉan (Wren, wren, King of Birds)".
Recent media
Recent media