Even Historians like Christmas - but what are Irish Traditions.

CDfm

Christmas has always been a big celebration and it is now fairly generic and it got me to thinking how little I know about Irish Christmas traditions.

My mum from West Cork was always nostalgic for the Wren Boys as it represented Christmas for her.

Sociologists will tell you that in agrarian societies that celebrations were times to distribute food etc - so a lot of Irish traditions could be based on that

http://ukiahcommunityblog.wordpress.com/2010/11/26/gift-economy-or-an-agrarian-society-of-small-proprietors-and-cooperatives/

Anyway, that would cut no ice with my Mum -the Wren Boys calling at her Dads house were Christmas for her - and in Cork they were a big thing.

So here is are some pics and an article about the Wren Boys and its tradition in Cork.

What were Irish Christmases like ? Did druids do Santa ?


[Embedded Image Removed]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The Wren Boys[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] 1 : 2 [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The Wren Boys
Taken from the Journal of the Cork Archaeological and Historical Society, 1894, Vol. III, p. 22[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]“St. Stephen’s his day” is a red-letter event in the canaille calendar of Cork and neighbourhood. When the “wran-boys,” as they are locally termed, have captured a wren, the luckless bird is borne through the streets in a sort of triumphal progress, secured in a bush of holly or other evergreen, which is usually garnished with streamers of coloured ribbons, or variegated papers, according to the resources of tile exhibitors. In early morning the city resounds with the din of the wren-boys (which term, by the way, embraces matured manhood), who are making a house to house visitation, singing at each halt a chant, something as follows:- [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]“Mr. Blank is a worthy man,
And to his house we've brought the wran;
The wran, the wran that you may see
Is uarded by the holly-tree. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Sing holly, sing ivy, sing ivy, sing holly,
To keep a had Christmas it is but a folly;
For Christmas comes but once a year,
And when it comes it brings good cheer.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The wran, the wran, the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's his Day was cot in the furze;
And though he is little, his family’s great,
So arise, good lady, and give us a trate.
Sing holly, sing ivy, etc. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Yet if you do fill it of the small,
It will not do for our boys at all;
But if you fill it of the best,
We hope in heaven your soul may rest.
Sing holly, sing ivy, etc. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]This lyric, with its refrain, is long drawn out, and as its aim is the acquisition of largesse, the ballad does not fail to make eulogistic reference to the good cheer provided by the worthy master and mistress of the house, and their high reputation for hospitality during the festive season. Richard Dowden, mayor of Cork in I845, issued a proclamation during his mayoralty forbidding, on the score of cruelty, “the hunting of the little bird on St. Stephen’s day by all the idle fellows of the country,” a precedent which has never been followed by any of his successors in the civic chair. The origin of this brutal custom is not known. Professor Ridgeway, writing to the Academy, suggested the theory that the death of the wren symbolizes the death of winter; other correspondents of the same journal traced analogy between the Cork wren-boys and the Rhodian swallow-boys and the crow-boys of ancient Greece who went around with similar begging- songs. Goldsmith, while dealing elaborately with the superstitions connected with other birds, does not notice the custom ill his brief article on the wren; but the English General Vallancey, who spent a considerable time in Cork and the neighbourhood, and became an enthusiastic student of the Irish language and archaeology, asserts that the Druids regarded the wren as a sacred bird, which caused the early Christian missionaries to place it under ban, and issue an edict for its extermination. Windele, the Cork antiquary, however, assures us that Vallancey “dreamt things as visionary, and disported ill fancies as wild and incongruous, as any of the Irish Keatinges or O'Hallorans who had preceded him.” Another origin of the wren-slaughter is advanced in Hall’s “Ireland,” which contains a sketch of the St. Stephen’s Day ceremony by the distinguished Cork painter, Maclise. “ As to the origin of the whimsical but absurd and cruel custom,” writes Mr. Hall, “we have no data. A legend, however, is still current among the peasantry which may serve in some degree to elucidate it. In a grand assembly of all the birds of the air, it was determined that the sovereignty of the feathered tribe should be conferred upon the one who would fly highest. The favourite in the betting-book was, of course, the eagle, who at once, and in full confidence of victory, commenced his flight towards the sun; when he had vastly distanced all competitors, he proclaimed ill a mighty voice his monarchy over all things that had wings. Suddenly, however, the wren, who had secreted himself under the feathers Of the eagle’s crest, popped from his hiding-place, flew a few inches upwards and chirped out as loudly as he could, “Birds, look up, and behold your king.” In other parts of Ireland it seems the wren and robin find special favour. Mr.Watters of the Dublin University Zoological Society, asserts in his “Birds of Ireland” that the most heartless youngster who indulges in “practical ornithology” with the eggs and young of other birds, regards the redbreast as too sacred to be molested. “Wild and untutored,” he writes “ask him his reasons for allowing it to remain in safety, and in many parts of Ireland you are simply answered
“The robin and the wren
Are God’s two holy men”[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]apparently a local variant of' the Lancashire folk-rhyme:
“Cock Robin and Jenny Wren
Are God Almighty’s Cock and Hen”[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]In view of the fine Corsican spirit in which the wren is annually done to death in the South of Ireland vendetta, it is needless to say that the rustic rhyme quoted by the Dublin ornithologist has no place ill the bird-lore of these parts. Nor does the pretty fiction of the robins forming a coverlet of leaves for the dead Babes in the Wood, so generally potent for their protection elsewhere, invest them with any peculiar sanctity in the eyes of the average Cork person[/SIZE][/FONT]

http://www.from-ireland.net/custetc/wrenboys.htm

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1].

The idea is that anything History & Christmas related and what the traditions were and where they might have come from. So it might not be limited to Ireland alone - so if there is anything.

We have different traditions in Ireland , English & Scots as well - so its quite diverse.

To everyone on H&H - Happy Christmas.




[/SIZE][/FONT]

Micilin Muc

Great post CDfm!

One tradition that springs to mind is that of placing a candle in the window. Another is leaving the door on the latch on Christmas Eve.

I don't know if the same traditions are in other countries!

EDIT: I just came across an article by James Mooney in an 1889 edition of the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, plenty of info about Irish festive traditions. Here are some of the more interesting points:

With regard to the origin of these winter holidays, it may be stated that,
like nearly every other festival in the modern calendar, they ar simply
heathen festivals which the church, being unable to suppress, found it
necessary to tolerate and finally to invest with a Christian significance.

The custom of secretly putting presents into stockings belongs properly
to the feast of Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus), December 6, and is supposed
to be typical of that saint's practice of secret almsgiving. The transfer of
the custom from the lesser to the greater holiday was natural and easy.
In Ireland, as in other countries of Europe, the children hang up their
stockings on Christmas eve to receiv the gifts which they ar told Santa
Claus puts into them during the night, climbing down the chimney for the purpose.

The Christmas tree is not a feature of the Irish observance.

The "Christmas log" and "Christmas candle," which ar kept burning from Christmas to Twelfth-night, ar common to Ireland, England and Scotland, the former
being found also in France and among the Letts.

In Connemara the people "draw blood" on Christmas as on Saint
Martin's day. The animal is kild the day before, but is not previously
"named " as is the case when dedicated to the saint. So deeply rooted is
this custom that poor people eagerly buy from the farmers old sheep
which ar almost worthless, in order to kil them for this occasion, and those who ar without money wil bind themselvs to do a certain amount
of work in return for such an animal. While this eagerness is due in great
part to the natural desire to hav a good dinner on Christmas at least, it
may point also to sacrificial rites in connection with the old druidic cele-
bration of the winter festival.

Every family that can possibly do so procures a large log known as the
bloc na _Nodlog (bloc na Nollag) or " Christmas block," to burn in the hearth-
fire upon this day.
The log is usually from the trunk of the resinous
bog deal, now found only below the surface of the bogs. It is procured
some time in advance, so as to be thoroughly dry for the occasion, and is
sometimes kept burning at intervals until Twelfth-night. As previously
stated, this custom, with that of the Christmas candle, is found also in
other countries, and is evidently a survival of an ancient fire celebration.

CDfm

Micilin Muc wrote: »

Great post CDfm!

One tradition that springs to mind is that of placing a candle in the window. Another is leaving the door on the latch on Christmas Eve.

I don't know if the same traditions are in other countries!

Thanks - but where does spiced beef come from ??

Christmas pudding - a medieval mincemeat ?

So before turkey -what was there ??

Fratton Fred

The Christmas tree is a German tradition and was introduced into the UK by Prince Albert who had them around Windsor castle and Balmoral at Christmas time.

After his death, queen Vic kept up the practice and it took off from there.

CDfm

Fratton Fred wrote: »

The Christmas tree is a German tradition and was introduced into the UK by Prince Albert who had them around Windsor castle and Balmoral at Christmas time.

After his death, queen Vic kept up the practice and it took off from there.

Any idea when they first came to ireland and were there any tree decorating traditions pre that - druids maypoles morris dancers ?

Culture is a bit of an export based on transactions too.

So music is a big thing too. Any ideas.

Ms. Chanandler Bong

THE CANDLE IN THE WINDOW

The placing of a lighted candle in the window of a house on Christmas eve is still practised today. It has a number of purposes but primarily it was an symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph as they travelled looking for shelter.

The candle also indicated a safe place for priests to perform mass during Penal Times when this was not allowed.

A further element of the tradition is that the candle should be lit by the youngest member of the household and only be extinguished by a girl bearing the name 'Mary'.

THE LADEN TABLE

After evening meal on Christmas eve the kitchen table was again set and on it were placed a loaf of bread filled with caraway seeds and raisins, a pitcher of milk and a large lit candle. The door to the house was left unlatched so that Mary and Joseph, or any wandering traveller, could avail of the welcome.

THE WREN BOY PROCESSION

During Penal Times there was once a plot in a vilage against the local soldiers. They were surrounded and were about to be ambushed when a group of wrens pecked on their drums and awakened the soldiers. The plot failed and the wren became known as 'The Devil's bird'.

On St. Stephens day a procession takes place where a pole with a holly bush is carried from house to house and families dress up in old clothes and with blackened faces. In olden times an actual wren would be killed and placed on top of the pole.

This custom has to a large degree disappeared but the tradition of visiting from house to house on St. Stephens Day has survived and is very much part of Christmas.

DECORATIONS:

The placing of a ring of Holly on doors originated in Ireland as Holly was one of the main plants that flourished at Christmas time and which gave the poor ample means with which to decorate their dwellings.

All decorations are traditionally taken down on Little Christmas (January 6th.) and it is considered to be bad luck to take them down beforehand.

Ms. Chanandler Bong

Also found this, had never heard it before:
The History of the Christmas Carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

During the centuries when it was a crime to be Catholic and to practice one's faith, in public or private, in Ireland and England, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written as a "catechism song" to help young Catholics learn the beliefs of their faith. It was a memory aid at at time when being caught with anything in writing indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned, it could get you hanged.

The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person.
A Partridge in a pear tree = Jesus Christ, the son of God.
Two turtle doves = The Old and New Testaments
Three french hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the theological virtues.
Four calling birds = The four Gospels and/or the four Evangelists.
Five golden rings = The first five books of the Old Testament (The Pentateuch).
Six geese a-laying = Six days of creation.
Seven swans a swimming = The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven Sacraments.
Eight maids a-milking = The eight Beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing = The nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit (sometimes also listed as the nine classifications of angels).
Ten lords a-leaping = The Ten Commandments.
Eleven pipers piping = The eleven faithful apostles.
Twelve drummers drumming = The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed.

CDfm

Wow catreyn -thats really something.

There is something about the ritual and tradition and the simplicity and detail of the 12 days of Christmas shows the sheer intelligience of its composer/author.

I can imagine a Medieval Mick Jagger rather than a boy band or X factor composer

CDfm

The Vikings invented Santa and here is where some of the traditions might be from

How we inherited Christmas from

THE VIKING YULE

The celebration of Yule in Scandinavia predates the Christian holiday by thousands of years

Winter Solstice, the time of the year when the days get longer and the sun begins to return was truly a cause for celebration among our ancestors in Scandinavia. Their Midwinter Feast lasted at least twelve days. So there are the twelve days of Christmas.

Most Christmas traditions are rooted deep in ancient Yule rituals, many coming from the Vikings. Historic evidence indicates that Jesus was not born on December 25, but in the Spring. Why is then Christmas celebrated on December 25? A common theory is that the Christian church designated this date as the day of Christ's birth to coincide with the Nordic Midvinter Solstice celebrations, as well as with a Roman midwinder fest called Saturnalia, in order to "facilitate" the conversion of "heathens" to Christianity.

At Midwinter, or Solstice, the Vikings honored their Asa Gods with religious rituals and feasting. They sacrificed a wild boar to Frey, the God of fertility and farming, to assure a good growing season in the coming year. The meat was then cooked and eaten at the feast. This is the origin of today's Christmas ham in Scandinavia.

During the festivities they burned a giant Sunwheel, which was put on fire and rolled down a hill to entice the Sun to return. According to one theory, this is the origin of the Christmas wreath.

Another Viking tradition was the Yulelog, a large oak log decorated with sprigs of fir, holly or yew. They carved runes on it, asking the Gods to protect them from misfortune. A piece of the log was saved to protect the home during the coming year and light next year's fire. Today, most know the Yulelog as a cake or cheese log rolled in nuts.

Even the Christmas tree goes back to pre-Christian times. The Vikings decorated evergreen trees with pieces of food and clothes, small statues of the Gods, carved runes, etc., to entice the tree spirits to come back in the spring.
Ancient myths surround the Mistletoe. The Vikings believed it could resurrect the dead, a belief based on a legend about the resurrection of Balder, God of Light and Goodness, who was killed by a mistletoe arrow but resurrected when tears of his mother Frigga turned the red mistletoe berries white.
The Yule Goat, (Swedish julbock, Finnish joulupukki, Norwegian julebukk) is one of the oldest Scandinavian Christmas symbols. Its origin is the legend about the Thundergod Thor who rode in the sky in a wagon pulled by two goats. An old custom was for young people to dress up in goat skins and go from house to house and sing and perform simple plays. They were rewarded with food and drink. The Yule Goat at one time also brought Yule gifts. This character was later replaced with "jultomten" (Santa Claus).
Our pre-Christian ancestors would dress up someone to represent Old Man Winter, who was welcomed into homes to join the festivities. Dressed in a hooded fur coat, Father Christmas traveled either by foot or on a giant white horse. Some think that this horse may have been Odin's horse Sleipnir and that Father Christmas was originally Odin, who was often depicted with a long beard. When the Vikings conquered Britain in the 8th and 9th centuries, he was introduced there and became the English Father Christmas.
Today, Viking Yule is celebrated in reconstructed Viking Villages such as Foteviken in Skåne and Jörvik in England, where visitors in December can make Christmas decorations with the Vikings, listen to Viking legends and hang their wishes in Odin's Yule Tree. Viking Yule is also celebrated by Asatruers, who revive the old Nordic religion, called Asatru.

Of course, our Scandinavian forefathers were not alone in celebrating the Winter Solstice. All over the world, and throughout history, people have celebrated the sun's return after the winter with a wide diversity of rituals and traditions. And still are

http://skandland.com/vikxmas.htm

Fratton Fred

I'm not wishing to contradict a poster, but I think the 12 days of Christmas might be an urban myth.

There is nothing in that that is uniquely Roman Catholic so none of those teachings would need to be hidden. I could understand if it was written in a country where Christians as a whole were persecuted, but not just Roman Catholics.

loldog

Here's one for ye that ye may not have heard of. In our family years ago there was a tradition on the night of Nollaig na mBan (Jan 6th).

A small candle would be lit for each member of the family. Whoever's candle went out first would be the first person to die in the family, and so on...

I found a reference to it here:

To this day, it still scares me to death. A candle would be placed in the cake to represent each member of the family. In the evening, the candles would be lit and then watched. As each candle went out, either extinguished by a stray draft or burnt itself down, that would be the order of death.

Anyway, one year it was my sister's candle that went out first and she freaked out so the tradition was discontinued after that. Nice cheery festive stuff, eh?:)

.

CDfm

That would freak me out too.




The 12 days of Xmas gets blamed for a lot and traditions start somewhere

http://content.pncmc.com/live/pnc/microsite/CPI/2010/index.htm

or this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJoXCwkPVi8

JustinDee

CDfm wrote: »

Any idea when they first came to ireland and were there any tree decorating traditions pre that - druids maypoles morris dancers ?

Probably the same time if its true. Ireland was part of the United Kingdom in those days.

Ms. Chanandler Bong

Fratton Fred wrote: »

I'm not wishing to contradict a poster, but I think the 12 days of Christmas might be an urban myth.

There is nothing in that that is uniquely Roman Catholic so none of those teachings would need to be hidden. I could understand if it was written in a country where Christians as a whole were persecuted, but not just Roman Catholics.

It's ok, I'd never heard it before I read that article either

Manach

Good thread here.
Just to re-iterate some of the other posters, in Cork there is the tradition of the Wren Boys, Lighting the Christmas Candle, and spice beef (though the latter I've never had a taste for).

Ponster

catreyn wrote: »

During the centuries when it was a crime to be Catholic and to practice one's faith, in public or private, in Ireland and England, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written as a "catechism song" to help young Catholics learn the beliefs of their faith.

Not true I'm afraid but a nice story all the same

Good explanation here but is pretty long/detailed.

Fratton Fred

I was visiting relatives at their pub
in Ballyconnel, Co Cavan one year and a group of lads came in with the wren on a stick, but they stayed for a while and played some trad songs. I thought they were called mummers?

Fratton Fred

JustinDee wrote: »

Probably the same time if its true. Ireland was part of the United Kingdom in those days.

I think that was pretty much it. The tradition, I guess spread globally as well because it is popular in the US. Maybe their Irish and or German migrants took it there with them?

Ponster

Fratton Fred wrote: »

I was visiting relatives at their pub
in Ballyconnel, Co Cavan one year and a group of lads came in with the wren on a stick, but they stayed for a while and played some trad songs. I thought they were called mummers?

If they had a wren on a stick then they were certainly the Wrenboys. Mummers are almost the same thing (minus the wren) but also take part in folk drama (enacting old legends and such via song) and were seen at all times of the year but mostly during special occasions like May Day.

Think of them as the Irish version of English Morris dancers.

Fratton Fred

Ponster wrote: »

If they had a wren on a stick then they were certainly the Wrenboys. Mummers are almost the same thing (minus the wren) but also take part in folk drama (enacting old legends and such via song) and were seen at all times of the year but mostly during special occasions like May Day.

Think of them as the Irish version of English Morris dancers.

It could well have been both together actually
A visit to my brother in law's pub tends to affect one's memory somewhat.

It was nice to see though, proper non touristy tradition.

Tabnabs

CDfm wrote: »

The Vikings invented Santa and here is where some of the traditions might be from

An interesting post, but to be pedantic: (;))

Santa Claus has many roots in Saami (indigenous people of "Lappland") heritage - flying reindeer, coming down the chimney etc. Nothing to do with the vikings sadly.

For the Vikings, their celebrations started on Mother Night - the 21st December. This was a holiday period, a time for feasting and gathering with family and friends. The word Yuletide (loosely translated as Christmas time) was well known to the Vikings. December 25th belongs to another prechristian deity - Mithras.

The yulelog is a Scandinavian tradition, but the sunwheel is German.

Mistletoe does feature in Viking mythology, but has no link to Yule and does not influence as heavily as it does in Druidic traditions.

The image of the "jultomten" comes from 1840s Denmark, (not very viking really ) and the traditions surrounding tomten or nisse are still very strong in Scandinavia. A nice piece here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomte

CDfm

Dyflin wrote: »

An interesting post, but to be pedantic: (;))

Happy Yuletide Dyflin and may Odin look kindly on you

CDfm

Manach wrote: »

Good thread here.
Just to re-iterate some of the other posters, in Cork there is the tradition of the Wren Boys, Lighting the Christmas Candle, and spice beef (though the latter I've never had a taste for).

Maybe some pigs tongue, head and crubeens would be more to youyr liking.

For some , pigs cheek is a delicasy.

(I saw that on Australian MasterChef)

To our ancestors, Irish Christmas recipes didn't come in beautiful books filled with pretty pictures. They didn't need to. The winter festival was a time to celebrate in time-honoured fashion, using cooking methods that had been handed down through the generations. Geese, ducks, great sides of beef, sheep and pork were turned on the roasting spit in the halls of chieftains in early Christian and medieval times.
In later centuries, the spit had become the kitchen oven and, by the late 18th century, vegetables and fruits began to feature more heavily on the table during the Irish Christmas.
Recipes using beef suet, mixed dried fruit and whiskey in cakes and puddings - not dissimilar to those still used every year - started to acquire a seasonal status.
Preparations began weeks in advance for these cakes and puddings, as did the slaughter of cattle and pigs. The latter were shared out with others. While the majority poor simply shared with their immediate family and neighbours, the traditional division among the gentry in the early 19th century was as follows:

• The head, tongue and feet: the blacksmith
• the small ribs attached to the hindquarters: the tailor;
• the kidneys: the doctor
• the udder: the harper
• the liver: carpenter
• the marrowbone: the odd-job man
• the heart: the cowherd
• a choice piece each: the midwife and the stableman
• black puddings and sausages: the ploughman.

To the gentry of Ireland, Christmas food meant enormous feasts of meats, fishes, vegetables, rich creamy sauces and all manner of sweet delicacies washed down with copious quantities of alcoholic refreshments.
But to the majority of our ancestors, Irish Christmas recipes produced rather more hearty fare. While they were less rich than the foods enjoyed by those further up the social ladder, they were nonetheless exceptionally luxurious to the palate of a population that lived at subsistence level (or worse) for much of the year.

This comes from here and there are also some "traditional" recipes


http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Irish-Christmas-recipes.html

Spiced beef for St Stephen's Day

Irish spiced beef is traditionally served on St Stephen's Day (26th December). This is the case in most of Ireland but in co. Cork, spiced beef is not just one of the most popular Irish Chrismas recipes, it is also a dish served all year round. Although our ancestors would have prepared their own dish, and many families still do, you can find well-prepared beef joints, liberally covered in spices, in butchers throughout Ireland in the two weeks before Christmas.

Ingredients: for 20-25 servings

6lb (2.7kg) middle rib of beef, boned and rolled
1lb (450g) salt
3 carrots, roughly chopped
1 turnip, roughly chopped
1 onion, cut into rings pieces
1 onion, finely minced
4 oz (110g) moist brown sugar
6 tsp mixed spice
0.5oz (13g) saltpetre
1 bay leaf
allspice, black pepper, cloves, mace, mixed herbs, nutmeg, thyme
fresh finely chopped parsley.

Method:

To boil the beef, make a bed of carrots, turnips and ringed onions at the bottom of a pan. Place the beef on top, add the bay leaf, and cover with cold water. Boil for 30 minutes per 1lb/450g, plus an extra 30 minutes. Remove from pot and place between two plates. Put a heavy object on top of the plate and leave for 12-15 hours and then tie the beef with string.

Mix the herbs and spices with salt, sugar and minced onion. Cover the meat in this mixture, rubbing it in well for several minutes. Place into an earthenware crock and cover. Turn the meat once a day, every day for a fortnight and rub in the spice mixture each time.

mathepac

This is a North Tipp / East Clare / East Galway (think the areas surrounding Lough Derg) version of the song I remember being sung by the wran boys on their house-to-house travels on St. Stephen's Day. I don't remember hearing the "holly and ivy" chorus. This was sung outside the house in anticipation of an invitation to come inside.

The man of this house is a worthy man,
And to his house we've been led by the wran;
The wran, the wran as you can see
Is guarded by the holly-tree.

Christmas comes but once a year,
And when it comes it brings good cheer.
The wran, the wran, the king of all birds,
On Stephen's Day was caught in the furze;
So up with the kittle and down with the pan*
And give us a penny to bury the wran.

If you don't fill us or give us too small,
It will not do for our boys at all;
But if you should fill us and give us of your best,
We know in God's heaven your soul will rest.

*Traditionally when preparing food and drink over an open fire, "the kittle" was taken from the hearth and hung up on the crane to boil and "the pan" went down on the hot embers to fry / cook / bake, etc.

Presumably the "penny" was to wake the wran at the local pub.

There was another "standard" wran-boys song that metamorphosed into other things over the years sung by Bing Crosby, John Denver and many others. It started :

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
Please put a penny in the old man's hat
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do
If you haven't got a ha'penny, God bless you!

That's the only verse I can recall.

In calling to houses, traditionally the first person of the troupe through the door and the last to leave was the youngest. I have no understanding of this observance but assume it's connected with the baby Jesus.

Christmas Eve was a special time with the big red Christmas candle being prepared and placed in its specially carved and decorated turnip-holder, being lit at dusk by the youngest member of the house-hold. This had to stay burning in the window until Nollaig na mBan.

Mid-night Mass used to be magical until it had to be moved to Christmas Evening to avoid the the presence and behaviour of the drunken louts.

Nollaig na mBan or Little Christmas I remember as being a "ladies day" with the focus on de-decorating and family visits. Families usually gathered in one house bringing the last of the Christmas goodies, food and drink, to cut down on food preparation.

My understanding of the traditional Irish Christmas foods (fruitcakes, ham, spiced beef, preserved fruits, etc) is that these were laid down immediately after harvest in preparation for a mid-winter feast. Preserved in suet, alcohol, syrup, salt, saltpetre, etc. these were brought out in the depths of winter to break the dull monotony of winter peasant fare.

CDfm

In Cork the Examiner publish the Holly Bough as a Christmas Paper and have done since 1897.

Father read the Cork 'Holly Bough' and records newly bought by Mother were played on the gramophone. Nobody went visiting on that day and no visitors came. It was a day for the family.

Being of such cultural importance the National Library of Australia holds copies

http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1843795


Prepering the turkey was really a mans job.

week before Christmas, Father killed three turkeys and a goose. He nailed pieces of wood together and made two strong boxes into which he placed the turkeys 'feathers and all'. The lids were nailed down, labels nailed on and the addresses of our cousins in Dublin written. Father then took them to the station to post. In return we got a huge brack about the size of a motor car wheel which was made to order by the famous Johnston Mooney and O'Brien bakers.

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/acalend/XmasEastCork.html

jonniebgood1

The biggest one I know is Midnight mass- usually accompanied by an odour of alcohol!

Attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is probably the most widely practised of all Irish Christmas traditions. Usually the church will be crammed to the rafters with the largest single congregations of the year and it is a particulary social occasion, as families that have come together for the holiday meet friends and neighbours they may not have seen for a year.

Although midnight mass is a religious occasion, it is one that non-religious folk sometimes attend because they enjoy the chance to sing some carols, often accompanied by live music, to exchange Christmas greetings and to play their part in their local community.

Holly. A holly wreath remains a popular front-door adornment and dates back to the days when most of our ancestors would have decorated their home with this freely available plant. Hung heavy with berries, the red and glossy green sprigs were a sure way to make festive even the humblest of homes.

and Some more recent developments copied from http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Irish-Christmas-traditions.html :

The tree and the tinsel. Decorating a tree in the dead of winter was a Pagan custom that has survived with little variation except that the dressed tree (now draped in tinsel) makes its appearance earlier and earlier each year! As to the rest of the decorations, they are now put up in many homes and offices at the beginning of December and remain in place until the 6th January.

This business of decorating the home with tinsel, fairy lights and festive ornament is a relatively recent phenomenon (especially when they are festooned all over the front of a house). Before the 20th century, it was only shops, churches, and the homes of the gentry that were decorated so lavishly. The ordinary family made do with holly and mistletoe.


Irish Christmas cards. The sending and receiving of festive greetings in paper format is hugely popular in Ireland. It isn't the oldest of Irish Christmas traditions by any means but the practice of exchanging cards has persisted since the early 20th century, perhaps because repeated waves of emigration continued to separate so many families who would otherwise have spent Christmas together. Sending a carefully chosen Christmas card with a letter filled with news and gossip was a way to stay in touch. The card would be placed on public display while the letter would be stored safely but readily available for regular re-readings. Today, the Irish Christmas cards business is huge with cards exchanged between work colleagues, neighbours and friends, as well as family members near and far.

MarchDub

Dyflin wrote: »

. December 25th belongs to another prechristian deity - Mithras.

Not sure if this came from Wikipedia? but the issue of Mithras and Mithraism is not a done deal. Mithraism only reached its zenith in the Roman Empire around the third and fourth centuries AD and may in fact have borrowed the Dec 25 from the Christians. There is a debate about this anyway with some sources pointing to the date on the Christian calendar predating the Mithras connection.

But how Christians came up with that date for Christmas is also uncertain - it may have been because early sources used March 25th as the date of the death of Jesus and also the Annunciation. So going 9 months ahead of the Annunciation to Dec 25th may have been the reasoning.

MarchDub

My two favourite parts of Christmas - plum pudding and crackers - came over from England. According to info on my crackers box [how about that for original source material] the tradition of crackers started with Tom Smith in Clerkenwell in London in 1847 who wrapped up small cakes in twisted packages and put two strips of thin card pasted with saltpetre in the package to make a sparkle when they were pulled apart to open the twisted package. And the rest - as they say - is history.
No idea if this is true - but it makes a great story.

Another note - in Dublin there was a tradition of preserving eggs for Christmas. I remember both my grandmothers had large vats of eggs in a saline? solution being preserved because the price of eggs soared at Christmas and eggs were needed for all the Christmas baking.

jonniebgood1

Im not sure if its an Irish tradition but I have heard of the day decorations come down, 6th January, being referred to as womans christmas and the tradition would be for men to do the cooking & cleaning on this day. I presume the logic is that it is the better species reward for keeping her house in order over the festive period.

Fratton Fred

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

Im not sure if its an Irish tradition but I have heard of the day decorations come down, 6th January, being referred to as womans christmas and the tradition would be for men to do the cooking & cleaning on this day. I presume the logic is that it is the better species reward for keeping her house in order over the festive period.

No, no, no, it is not an Irish tradition and anyone who observes this is err err a traitor.

Jesus man, are you trying to get us all into trouble! (insert big winking smile here)

MarchDub

Fratton Fred wrote: »

No, no, no, it is not an Irish tradition and anyone who observes this is err err a traitor.

Jesus man, are you trying to get us all into trouble! (insert big winking smile here)

:eek:

Fratton Fred

MarchDub wrote: »

My two favourite parts of Christmas - plum pudding and crackers - came over from England. According to info on my crackers box [how about that for original source material] the tradition of crackers started with Tom Smith in Clerkenwell in London in 1847 who wrapped up small cakes in twisted packages and put two strips of thin card pasted with saltpetre in the package to make a sparkle when they were pulled apart to open the twisted package. And the rest - as they say - is history.
No idea if this is true - but it makes a great story.

Another note - in Dublin there was a tradition of preserving eggs for Christmas. I remember both my grandmothers had large vats of eggs in a saline? solution being preserved because the price of eggs soared at Christmas and eggs were needed for all the Christmas baking.

My afore mentioned brother in law would always nip to the chipper when he came to our house in England. He grew up on pickled eggs and every chipper (or chippy as we say) sells them.

MarchDub

Fratton Fred wrote: »

My afore mentioned brother in law would always nip to the chipper when he came to our house in England. He grew up on pickled eggs and every chipper (or chippy as we say) sells them.

I'm not sure that what my grandmothers had were pickled eggs [they're cooked right?] in those large tin vats because the eggs would remain fresh - I mean uncooked - and ready for breaking and putting into cakes. But they set down the eggs in August or thereabouts so it was over some time that they were preserved. No idea how it was done. No one got food poisoning that I know of, so it must have worked.

CDfm

More food history but I am on the search for the first shop Santa in Ireland and panto's too if anyone has any ideas

Christmas Food - Where Our Christmas Dinner Comes From



In our podcast for this topic we spoke with Regina Sexton, food and culinary historian from University College Cork
She is also the author of A Little History of Irish Food. The discussion was wide ranging but I thought it might be interesting to share the origins of two of the mainstays of christmas food traditions in this article, the turkey and the mince pie.
The "big bird" has been influenced by the work of Victorian writers like Charles Dickens and the ideals of family, luxury and comfort that informed Victorian traditions. However as Regina makes clear, the big bird was not a new invention of the 19th century and in fact during medieval times, what would now seem exotic were staples of the Christmas table, the swan, the heron and even the peacock. The driver for the exotic birds was to ensure fresh meat was served at Christmas, both to display wealth and luxury and to celebrate the turning of the year from a time when days grew shorter to a time when day began, slowly to lengthen.
The modern mince pie displays only some of the attributes of the very old traditions that saw its creation in the middle ages. Where our mince pies are fruit laden and almost exclusively sweet, the mince pies of the 1500s were actually made with meat, mutton or beef according to Regina and were heavy with animal fat. like the desire for birds, the rarity of meat served in any form in the depths of winter made the mince pie, with its spice and meat quite the luxury.
But mince pies were introduced very early. Selden says that the coffin shape of the crust is an imitation of the cratch or manger wherein the "infant Jesus was laid," but we must turn to Misson for a description of its contents. He says:
Every family against Christmas, makes a famous pie, which they call 'Christmas pie'. It is a great nostrum; the composition of this pasty is a most learned mixture of neats' tongues, chicken, eggs, sugar, raisins, lemon and orange-peel, with various kinds of spicery.
On inquiry in the kitchen, we have learned that neats' tongues and chickens have been replaced with beef, but that "perhaps the old fashion was a good one." Misson, however, tells that the English, in addition to their Christmas pie, made "plum porridge," which was served up to table in bowls, and eaten with a spoon. This was the original Christmas pudding, and there are some in England who even unto this day have their bowl of plum porridge. Brand mentions that on Christmas Day, 1801, he dined with the Royal Chaplain at St. James's, "and partook of the first thing served up and eaten on that festival at that table: i. e., a tureen full of luscious plum porridge."* There is no accounting for tastes, but for ourselves we prefer to have it in the reasonable form of pudding.


http://www.historyjournal.ie/archives/nine-years-war/158-christmas-food-where-our-christmas-dinner-comes-from.html

Nyom nyom nyom

And

The Christmas book


The Christmas book: Christmas in the olden time, its customs and their origin : the holly and ivy, sports of the eve, Yule log, boar's head, the dinner, mummers, Lord of Misrule, Saturnalia, carols, mysteries and plays, boxes, &c. &c
Free on Google Books (to stream of download)
A really wonderful book that contains just about anything one might need for researching Christmas traditions. The beauty of the Google Books platform makes it searchable and open to investgation too, which really helped for this topic It also opens the eyes to other works that might be of use and for that alone it is worthwhile.








http://www.historyjournal.ie/book-reviews/69-christmas-traditions-book-reviews/161-the-christmas-book.html

Can anyone find a link for this ??

mathepac

MarchDub wrote: »

I'm not sure that what my grandmothers had were pickled eggs ...

No what your Granny had were I believe "glassed eggs" or "glass eggs" preserved raw by dipping them in a water glass (sodium silicate) solution.

Details here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_silicate

(it seems correct and ties in with the best of my recollections)

CDfm

Panto has its origans with Mummers.

The Origins of the Christmas Pantomime


A medieval Christmas celebration called mumming

Mumming was a form of folk entertainment, performed in silence by groups of masked and costumed merrymakers.They would sing and dance in the streets, acting out stories. These performances may have originated from earlier pagan winter celebrations but by the 12th century these masked plays had become a feature of Christmas at Court. These plays largely revolved around death, resurrection and the victory of good over evil, and retained their popularity up until the mid-19th century.
Pantomine in the 16th century

A new form of theatre was to surface in Italy in 1560 and spread through France into Britain. The commedia dell'arte (comedy of art) featured extravagant costumes, beautiful masks, and intricate scenery and the typical storyline was based around the characters of Harlequin, his love interest Columbine and her father Pantaloon. Other characters were Pierrot, Clown and the father's servant Pulchinello. These performances evolved into comic chases and slapstick comedy of modern day pantomime and circus.
The "father" of modern pantomime

In 1714, John Rich inherited, from his parents, a share in Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre and also went on to open Covent Garden Theatre in 1732. He found great prosperity with both these theatres, by playing the role of Harlequin in "ballet-pantomimes" or harlequinades. Seeing Rich's success with his pantomimes, his rival David Garrick began to produce his own performances at his Theatre Royal in Drury Lane.


Read more at Suite101: The Origins of the Christmas Pantomime http://www.suite101.com/content/the-origins-of-the-christmas-pantomime-a318066#ixzz18Q49pANZ

History Of Panto

The traditional pantomime has been influenced by many things over its almost five hundred year history. Pantomime as we know it can mainly be traced back to the 1500’s where it emerged from the Italian tradition of ‘Commedia Dell’Arte’. Commedia dell’Arte was a popular type of travelling theatre performed by wandering actors and it travelled through Italy to France to the UK in the sixteenth century.
Commedia dell’Arte generally featured actors improvising their way through a story involving characters such as Harlequin and his true love, Columbine. Other characters that often featured were the overprotective father, Pantaloon and his servant, Pulchinello (who would later be known as ‘Clown’). Although the character of Pulchinello has vanished from the modern pantomime, he still exists as Mr. Punch, the puppet who along with his wife Judy can still be seen in English seaside towns and parks today.




The main problem with the travelling Commedia dell’Arte shows was that the main actors did not speak very good English. This meant that the scenes from their shows had to be mimed as the audience couldn’t understand the language and more singing and dancing was introduced to the shows. Rather than telling jokes, the actors also had to make people laugh with funny actions, chases and mimes. The Harlequin character would carry a wooden sword during these shows with which he would comically ‘slap’ fellow actors, and this is what became called ‘slapstick’ humour.
The first actual ‘pantomime’ was staged in 1717 when the ballet-pantomime The Lovers of Mars and Venus was produced at John Rich’s Lincoln Inn Fields Theatre. These pantomimes became extremely popular during the 18th century and in 1773 the Theatre Royal in DruryLane, London staged the first pantomime story that we would recognise today – Jack The Giant Killer.
Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp followed in 1788, the characters of Clown, Harlequin and Pantaloon now being firmly established. Pantomime continued to grown in popularity in the 1800s as the original pantomime clown, Joseph Grimaldi, wowed audiences with his performances. His shows included comic songs and slapstick humour and he also introduced another pantomime tradition – the Pantomime Dame.

http://www.ballinasloepanto.com/history-of-panto/history-of-panto-2

The innuendo and the Dame

It would kind of stand to reason that given that in Shakespeares time the lead female roles were done by men and boys.

Irish panto and who was the best Dame ever - theres a thought.

mathepac

CDfm wrote: »

... Irish panto and who was the best Dame ever - theres a thought. ...

The one and only, the magnificent Jimmy O'Dea. As a kid, I enjoyed him at many pantos originally in the old Theatre Royal (where I made my own thespian debut in a little farce produced by the late great Tomás MacCanna) and latterly in The Gaiety in South King Street.

There was none better than Jimmy - it's a shame he died so young with so much still to offer.

CDfm

mathepac wrote: »

The one and only, the magnificent Jimmy O'Dea. As a kid, I enjoyed him at many pantos originally in the old Theatre Royal (where I made my own thespian debut in a little farce produced by the late great Tomás MacCanna) and latterly in The Gaiety in South King Street.

There was none better than Jimmy - it's a shame he died so young with so much still to offer.

is there a youtube of him doing his thing.

An aside. The slapstick comedians were soo good and it was an art form. I read somewhere that Benny Hills sidekick from Northern Ireland choreographed the Teletubbies drawing on vaudeville and trained the actors on the moves.

mathepac

CDfm wrote: »

is there a youtube of him doing his thing. ...

Extreme rarities I'd say outside of the RTE sound / video archives. Here is all I found a video of a 78 rpm record with Jimmy (pupil) and Harry O'Donovan (the first voice you hear, the schoolmaster) talking and singing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpFOVxjIVBA

I only remember one film Darby O'Gill and the Little People by Walt Disney Pictures with Jimmy playing Brian, the King of the Fairies. If memory serves me right, it was every bit as bad as it sounds, definitely not poor old Jimmy's finest hour.

CDfm

mathepac wrote: »

I only remember one film Darby O'Gill and the Little People by Walt Disney Pictures with Jimmy playing Brian, the King of the Fairies. If memory serves me right, it was every bit as bad as it sounds, definitely not poor old Jimmy's finest hour.

i read a bit about him and given his background acting was a strange choice of occupation -but then -Frank Kelly was a barrister.

panto is probably really music hall - i used to hate it when the male lead was a girl

CDfm

Santa Claus is a big thing in Ireland and along with St Valentine whose remains are in Dublin the fat guy in the red suit also may be here

Santa Claus buried in Ireland?

Kilkenny Abbey may be final resting place of Saint Nicholas

By JAMES O'BRIEN
, IrishCentral.com Staff Writer



Published Sunday, December 20, 2009, 8:37 AM
Updated Tuesday, February 9, 2010, 12:15 PM





Irish historians say there is evidence St. Nicholas' remains were brought to Ireland.




The body of the heart-of-gold man later known as Santa Claus is buried in Ireland, according to a new report.
St. Nicholas, who lived during the 4th century and was Bishop of Lycia in Turkey, was canonized soon after his death in 346 AD.
He was known for his good deeds and generosity, and the Santa Claus legend sprung up around him. He was known for giving anonymous gifts to the poor and to have placed coins in the shoes of people who left them out for him.
Now, historians in Ireland say they have evidence that his remains were brought to Ireland and buried in Jerpoint Abbey by Irish Norman crusaders.
According to local historians and stnicholascenter.org, the church there was "an unusual grave slab with an image of a cleric, thought to be a bishop, and two other heads. The cleric is said to be St. Nicholas and the heads, the two crusaders who, so the story goes, brought Nicholas' remains back to Ireland.
"Though the church dates from 1170, the grave slab appears to be from the 1300s. The tale tells of a band of Irish-Norman knights from Jerpoint, traveling to the Holy Land to take part in the Crusades. On retreat, as they headed home to Ireland, they seized St. Nicholas' remains, bringing them back to Kilkenny, where the bones were buried.
"Evidence lends some possible credence to this tale as the Normans in Kilkenny were keen collectors of religious relics – possibly even more so than the Italians. And it is known that Norman knights from Kilkenny participated in the Holy Land Crusades.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Santa-Claus-buried-in-Ireland-claim-79753782.html

When is the first recorded Irish Santa and when did Santa staert in Shops ??

Ulsteryank

Good thread guys, and what better way to spend a snowed in Sunday Well something of a modern tradition, not necessarily one that many partake in, but one occurring in Ireland this time of year is the lottery to be inside Newgrange to see the sun on the solstice, even though it will probably be cloudy, or rain anyway Grianstad an Gheimhridh being an ancient native observance without the influence from the Scandinavians or Anglo-Saxons.

Although a pre-Celtic observance, the solar imagery must have been acknowledged by the ancient Gaels to place Daghdha, the great god who received solar characteristics, at the tumulus, the same one he nailed Bóinn in, where Aonghus was popped out. Also being the same place our other god with solar designations Lugh, did the same thing with Deichtine, to bring us Cú Chulainn.

Dáithí Ó hÓgáin says in his The Sacred Isle: Belief and Religion in pre-Christian Ireland, that the art work on the agrarian neolithic monuments bares a striking resemblance to the sun's rays, and being a burial site, possibly indicates a belief in the souls being taken away with the Midwinter sunset. A belief that could be the root of the still present Irish folk tradition of carrying a coffin sunwise around a graveyard before depositing it, and possibly an even older one of the oldest member of the family to sleep in the western position of the house, accepting their potential role of being next in line to depart with the setting sun.

Aside from that, an Irish teacher of mine that grew up in Gortahork with Irish being his first language, told me on a winter coffee break that there's plenty of lore his Gaeltacht around the this solstice involving the same spooky stuff you usually hear around Samhain, with the taboo of not being out after dusk.

Modern traditional ones that I like, even if having Christian or Germanic influence, is the Bloc na Nollaig, and the midnight mass. I was at a funeral of my wife's great aunt in Ballinderry, and thought it was interesting that the Church had a candlelit Christmas service, without electric or anything.

CDfm

Here is a piece about the traditional days of Christmas and the "Official" names for them.

The Irish Twelve Days of Christmas

By Bernd Biege, About.com Guide


You all know the twelve days of Christmas, from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" to a partridge in a pear tree. But what happens during those twelve days in Ireland? I'll try to give you a short run-down, day by day. Actually for fourteen days, from Christmas Eve to the feast of Epiphany.
December 24th - Christmas Eve

The Christmas tree was only imported quite recently into Ireland - but Christmas Eve was the time when candles were lit. After sundown several candles, one for each member of the household, were put into the windows. Either as a modernized pagan tradition or "to guide the Holy Family". The largest candle was known as coinneal mór na Nollag ("the great Christmas candle"). Then it was off to church ... And a drink with the neighbors afterwards.
December 25th - Christmas Day

If you are in search of peace and quiet, this is your day - Ireland is virtually dead to the world on Christmas Day. The day is spent with close family, barricaded into the home, eating Brussels sprouts and watching the annual re-run of "The Sound of Music" on RTÉ. Only around 11 AM do the streets become crowded, with even the unbelievers heading for mass. Maybe the most boring day of the Irish year for visitors. Head for natural attractions, everything else is closed.
December 26th - St. Stephen's Day (or Boxing Day)

The day of the "Wren Boys" - except in northern Ulster disguised young men go around, reciting nonsensical poems, begging for treats and carrying a dead wren (these days generally in effigy). Similar traditional activities, though at a slightly more sophisticated level, are connected with the mummers. They are active in Ulster, Dublin and Wexford, keeping folk theatre alive.
December 27th -The Sales

This is the day shops go into overdrive - the post-Christmas sales start and queues begin to form as early as seven o'clock in Dublin. Avoid Brown-Thomas, Arnott's and Clery's around opening time ... unless you want to be amongst the mob hunting for the best bargains. By the way, December 27th is also the feast day of John the Evangelist.
December 28th - Feast of the Holy Innocents

On this day Herod apparently ordered the slaughter of all first-born - making "childermas" one of the unluckiest day in folk custom. Don’t start any business ventures or journeys, to be sure don’t start anything. The "boy bishops" were de-throned on this day. But this medieval tradition has died long ago, in today's Ireland you find no young adult taking over a bishop's throne over the Christmas period.]
December 29th
December 30th

There are no specific traditions connected to these days - today they are used for shopping (mostly stocking up on alcohol) or taking the kids to the zoo, also a time-honored tradition, especially in Dublin.
December 31st - New Year's Eve

Ireland doesn't do New Year's Eve in a style to rival New York's Times Square, London's Trafalgar Square or Edinburgh's Hogmanay - parties and celebrations are a scattered affair. And very alcohol-fuelled. If you are visiting over this period it might be a good idea to pre-book one of the organized festivities. Unless you want to join the masses trying to get a pint at the pub ...
January 1st - New Year's Day

"All is quiet on New Year's Day" ... U2 were right - the morning starts of with a deathly quiet. Mainly due to the revels of the night before. Nobody remembers that this is the "Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord Jesus Christ". As in Roman times this was also was the feast of Janus, the two-faced god of doors and openings. Why not visit the ancient Janus-like figures on Boa Island. You'll be most likely the only person there.
January 2nd - Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
January 3rd
January 4th

These are days generally used to visit more distant friends and relations, mopping up the left-overs so to say. There is no set agenda.
January 5th - Twelfth Night Eve and Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night was traditionally the time when Christmas proper ended - hence the "Twelve Days of Christmas" (starting on December 25th). It was a night of feasting, merriment and also practical jokes. These days school starts again around this time, marking the end of the "Christmas holiday" for everyone. The last wild party will, however, more than likely be thrown on a convenient weekend, not necessarily on 12th night.
January 6th - Epiphany

This day is the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ, traditionally connected to the Adoration of the Magi, or Old Christmas Day (according to the Gregorian Calendar and still observed by some orthodox churches). In Ireland it is better known as Nollaig mBan - Little Christmas or "Women's Christmas". This was the day when women were cherished, could put their feet up and (after twelve or more days of slaving away to keep the menfolk happy) and enjoy. An almost forgotten tradition.
Handsel Monday

We must not forget the Irish tradition of Handsel Monday, the first monday in January - when children would get small gifts, called (you guessed it) "handsels"

http://goireland.about.com/od/irelandalivealiveoh/qt/christmas_12day.htm

Anyone know what this "boy bishop" thing was about - it seems very superstitous.

jonniebgood1

Here are a few more customs/ stories regarding Christmas, I particularly like the goose being plucked story -

If it snowed on Christmas Eve, Irish children were told that geese were being plucked in heaven. A new moon was a lucky omen. And cold, frosty weather was welcome, because this meant a mild spring and an absence of illness. On the other hand, mild weather on Christmas Eve was cause for concern because, according to the old Irish proverb, "A green Christmas makes a fat churchyard."

Regardless of the weather on the day before or on the day itself, the weeks preceding Christmas were spent in great preparation.

In the old days, the menfolk would be responsible for cleaning everything outside of the house and the women everything else inside of it. All of the structures would receive a fresh coat of whitewash, and linens, furniture, pots and pans would be washed, scoured, scrubbed or polished until they were spotless. It was up to the children to scout the countryside for appropriate decorations to be cut and brought home on Christmas Eve. Holly was especially prized because of its bright red berries and so were long tendrils of ivy and boughs of laurel which could be made into garlands. Mistletoe was rare in Ireland, but a child lucky enough to live near Limerick or in South Co. Wicklow, might have been able to add this ancient symbol of good fortune and fertility to the gathering of the greens.

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/acalend/XmasthenNow.html

CDfm

An aside - having red berried holly is not only seasonal but it indicates a nicer winter as little birds have alternative food supplies to the red berries -this winter red berried holly will be in short supply.

byhookorbycrook

Putting rushes at the door for the Holy Family to rest on,on Christmas Eve , rushes are then considered to be blessed.

The tall Christmas candle is always lit by the youngest in the house.

People who die just before Christmas are said to have had "Cuireadh na Nollag"(The Christmas invitation) and are thought to go straight to heaven.

who the fug

Manach wrote: »

Good thread here.
Just to re-iterate some of the other posters, in Cork there is the tradition of the Wren Boys, Lighting the Christmas Candle, and spice beef (though the latter I've never had a taste for).

Not just Cork, in South Kerry the Wren and Lighting of Christmas candle is there as well

CDfm

A very Peig Sayers Xmas - Dingle late 19th Century.

http://books.google.ie/books?id=EW3lo94RyyIC&pg=PA73&lpg=PA73&dq=peig+on+xmas&source=bl&ots=lByMhW1hHU&sig=U4uLp7ZH9Nnvj3aFxwJcZdLNGks&hl=en&ei=vqEPTce5JMyChQeZi6W3Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false

For those of you who are not familar with Peig - think Leonard Cohen in Irish and you will get the idea.

CDfm

Popular Music is an indicator of a society and I did not know that the carol "Once in Royal Davids City " was Irish from the 1850's
#

Irish Christmas Songs



Various Irish Christmas Songs
St Patrick introduced Christianity to the Irish Isles and Irish people embraced Catholicism with fervor. Christmas is celebrated with the greatest of religious and social reverence. Irish Christmas songs hark back to the middle ages when the Wexford Irish melody was first performed in the 13th century. It was the most famous of the Christmas carols sung by ancient Irish people and was borne from the cultural heritage of the Irish.
This Irish song originated from a region in Ireland called Country Wexford, hence the name given to the Christmas melody. Irish Christmas songs of old include ‘Curoo, Curoo’ which is a holiday song of birds. This particular song was first sung in the 19th century. The Clancy Brothers popularized this song in recent times.
Certain Irish Christmas songs that have survived to contemporary times have royal elements in them, such as ‘Once in Royal David’s City’. Cecil Alexander was a famous Irish singer and songwriter who composed and sung this song in the early 1850s. Henry Gantlet did the musical arrangement for this Christmas song.
One of the Irish Christmas songs that has been translated into various languages and sung by non-Catholic sects is ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’. This song is a hit among children who enjoy singing them as Christmas carols. It commemorates the larger festival of Christmastide, which lasts for 12 days.

The hymn writer

Cecil Frances Alexander



Hymn Writer
1818-1895
image of Cecil Frances Alexander Location of PlaqueBlue Plaque to Cecil Frances Alexander

Cecil Frances Humphreys was born in Dublin, but spent a good part of her later life in Londonderry and Strabane; her husband, William Alexander, himself a Derry man, was appointed Church of Ireland bishop of that city in 1867. He later became Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.

Cecil Frances was a keen supporter of the Oxford Movement, and in 1848 published Hymns For Little Children, which include three of the most popular hymns in the English language: "Once in Royal David's City," "All Things Bright and Beautiful" and "There is a Green Hill Far Away." Charles Gounod, the composer of Faust, said that some of her lyrics "seemed to set themselves to music."

A further selection of her works - hymns, tracts and poems - was published a year after her death.

http://www.ulsterhistory.co.uk/cecilfrancesalexander.htm

And the pre Christian Sol Invictus tradition.

Happy Newgrange Solstice anyone ??

Ancient Irish Christmas Celebrations
The worship of the natural world was the basis of ancient, pre-Christian faiths practiced by Irish Druids and important festivals revolved around the seasons. When Christian missionaries attempted the conversion of Northern Europeans into the Christian faith, the date of 25 December was chosen to mark the birth of Christ, or Christmas, as it corresponded with the winter solstice, a powerful pagan celebration of nature. The date also coincided with Sol Invictus, a Roman solar holiday on which solar deities were worshipped as the Sun advanced northward.
Christmas is the focal celebration of the Irish. Irish Christmas songs have survived through the ages to present times and are delightful melodies energetically sung during the Christmas season. Christmas carols of Irish songs are a favorite among all denominations of Christians and certain songs have been translated to a variety of versions.

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/Ireland/Irish-Christmas-Songs/2641

CDfm

So here are versions of the traditional Irish Song Curoo Curoo.

This by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZNMu46WYMA

And this by the Wiggles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cmpjXMH6nQ

CDfm

In the Battle of Kinsale 1601 - O'Neill (below)did not want to engage in a fixed battle but use skirmish an guerilla tactics whereas O' Donnell wanted a decisive fixed battle and this lead to the Flight of the Earls.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056123430




In 1914 the war was not over by Christmas

August 4, 1914 saw the outbreak of World War 1. Four Months later the hopes of many were dashed, however, one flicker of light shone like a beacon - that of the Christmas day truce between the German and British armies. However, events in Ireland that Christmas could not have been more different. One week earlier, on 19 December, the radical nationalist newspaper The Irish Volunteer listed what it referred to as 'Acceptable Christmas Presents'. These included a list of everything that was required 'to equip the Soldier for the Field'. The newspaper was not talking about the soldier in Flanders but here in Ireland where the National Volunteers were expected to take up the defence of Irish shores the following January, under the command of the British war office.
Writing on the issue on 22 December, Liam de Roiste a radical nationalist and diarist believed that the use of the volunteers by the British government was a clever move. De Roiste believed 'they (the government) probably hope, a German force will be up against national sentiment'. On 23 December, the Cork Examiner voiced the concern of many, which was how long the war would last? However, the editorial did not give any dates or time when it expected the war to end, but it did state that many of the guesses forwarded by experts have come and gone and there was still no sign of an end. Nevertheless, the editorial believed it would depend on the number of men and materials that were required to fight. In other words, the war would end when the warring nations could no longer put men and materials into the field.
Another concern was the growing sense of loss that many people had experienced since the war began, a concern expressed in the Christmas Eve edition of the Freeman's Journal. It believed that Ireland should now be celebrating a Christmas that restored the national rights of the nation (several months earlier Ireland had received Royal Assent for Home Rule). However, this would not now be the case due to the 'awful effusion of blood, of suffering and death', that had visited many Irish homes that Christmas. And instead of a 'prayerful Christmas' the major issue that would concentrate the minds of many that Christmas was their loved ones that were fighting in the battlefields of Europe, dead, never to return.
The same day, the Cork Examiner's editorial mirrored the editorial in the Freeman's Journal, with one marked difference. The Cork Examiner concerned itself with how the French and Belgian peoples would now celebrate Christmas with a war raging in their lands. As if, to emphasise that Christmas was in itself a season of peace and Christian ideals, the Cork Examiner suggested that, Christmas was now a 'time of blood-lust, of slaughter, of poverty and horror'. Another was the plight of the poor and those who supported them. This was something that also concerned Liam de Roiste. He felt that the war did not offer any greater opportunities to Ireland's growing numbers of unemployed and the poorly paid workers who lived in towns and cities, only a higher cost of living.
Two days later, on 26 December, the Cork Examiner editorial could not hide its disgust at the dropping of a bomb on Dover on Christmas Eve. It suggested that instead of terrifying the people of Great Britain and Ireland with such attacks, the only thing Germany got out of it was a 'waste of good petrol'. Five days later, on 31 December, Liam de Roiste writing his last entry for that year, expressed his belief that the Great War was like the tower of Babel, when man and his pride tried to storm heaven itself, but were humbled by God - something that may happen to men again matter what achievement man - made. Strangely, though the tower of Babel that Liam de Roiste wrote about would continue for another four years before finally come to an end on November 1918 with the loss of ten million men and countless numbers wounded, maimed and shell shocked, something that no one expected or believed four years earlier on Christmas Day 1914.





http://www.waterfordcountymuseum.org/exhibit/web/Display/article/190/