I was going to write something today about why it’s called Boxing Day but you all know that one . . . what many MAY not know is it is also known as Day of The Wren and essentially we don’t know why or what the poor and so dainty, most ubiquitous of birds, the lovely little British ‘Jenny' Wren has down to deserve to be hunted is beyond most decent and civilised thought (how in the hell do you ‘hunt’ a wren!?)
Wren - drawing by A.Swapp 21 June 2012
Today, St. Stephen's Day or in Irish, Lá Fhéile Stiofán or Lá an Dreoilín, the latter translates as the Day of the Wren or Wren's Day. The origins of the festival are lost in the mists of time, but tradition dictates that people carry either an effigy of a wren or an actual caged wren (live or dead) and travel from house to house playing music, singing and dancing. Depending on the region of the country, they are called Wrenboys and Mummers. A Mummer's Festival is held at this time every year in the village of New Inn, County Galway and Dingle in County Kerry.
Present day Wren boys in Dingle, Co, Kerry
Traditionally the frivolity starts with this ditty or variations thereof...
The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
Saint Stephen's day he got caught in the furze,
Although he is little, his family is great,
Cheer up, landlady an' give us a treat,
Up with the kettle and down with the pan,
Give us some money to bury the wren!
The tradition of hunting the wren is an ancient one and while its exact origins are unclear, the words of the above ditty encapsulate the story. According to an old legend, all avian creatures assembled to elect a king. It was agreed that the one who could fly the highest would be the winner.
Young Wren boys with a flute and two Bodharáns - traditional frame drums
(The bat was the only creature which did not partake and ever since to hide his shame only comes out at night!) The eagle, being the strongest, soared above the rest and was confident of victory. However, the wily wren had hitched a ride under the eagle's feathers and when the eagle tired and could go no higher the wren emerged and went on to victory!
Because of the nature of his victory the wren has always been held in some odium by his fellow birds and humans. He stands accused of betraying Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and ever since has been hunted on Saint Stephen's day.
In olden times a wren would be hunted, killed and paraded by the wren boys attached to a pole but for centuries an effigy has been used.
The Wren boys at Cork Hall, 1843 by D. Maclise
A little flavour of the day and the craic from 1979.
here's the craic . . . .
The Wren Boys of Dublin, Ireland 1998
Dublin Wren boys . . . .
Drumming Wren boys
little drummer boys
