Wren Day

As we drove to the Glendalough boulders yesterday, I further highlighted my City Girl upbringing to Shane as I demonstrated total ignorance to the tradition of 'Wren Day'...

He laughed at my lack of knowledge on the subject... I'd never heard of the tradition before.

I promised I'd google it, and while I won't admit to spending too long reading up on it - I did land on Wikipedia and here's what it's all about:

"Wren day also known as Wren's day, Hunt the Wren Day or The Hunting of the Wrens (Irish: Lá an Dreoilín) celebrated on 26 December, St. Stephens Day. 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 the Wren (also pronounced as the Wran) by dressing up in masks, straw suits and colourful motley clothing and, accompanied by traditional céilí music bands, parade through the towns and villages. These crowds are sometimes called wrenboys."

It all sounds like madness to me!!

Shane said 6 months of living in the country side would sort out my lack of culture!!!