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Hunting the wren on stephens' day

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  • 24-12-2011 11:14pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 12,451 ✭✭✭✭


    I know its common in Kerry and Tippeary bus is it common in any other counties in Ireland.


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,751 ✭✭✭Saila


    the ren?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    Must be a bogger thing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 35,954 ✭✭✭✭Larianne


    Yep, they do it in county Dublin and Meath.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 901 ✭✭✭ChunkyLover_53


    Do you hunt Stimpy aswell?

    Stimpy you EEEDEEOTT!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭senorwipesalot


    In Tipperary its spelt" the wren "and pronounced " the ran".


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭later12


    Reasonably common in North Tipperary. Not so much the South as far as I've ever experienced. I really enjoyed this as a kid, great fun, and great way of raising money for charity these days.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    It's spelt wren, everywhere.

    FYP.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,138 ✭✭✭paky


    is that when travellers come into pubs with balaclavas on looking for money?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,228 ✭✭✭podgemonster


    common also in west cork. used to it when i was 11 or 12. Good fun!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    mariaalice wrote: »
    I know its common in Kerry and Tippeary bus is it common in any other counties in Ireland.

    When I was younger, "puking the ring" was common all through Christmas. I believe its still popular in some parts.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭senorwipesalot


    later10 wrote: »
    Reasonably common in North Tipperary. Not so much the South as far as I've ever experienced. I really enjoyed this as a kid, great fun, and great way of raising money for charity these days.
    In north tipp the wren is hunted with schticks


    in south tipp the wren is hunted with harpoons.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,325 ✭✭✭ItsAWindUp


    Nothing like celebrating a time of peace and love with a bit of mindless slaughter eh?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,751 ✭✭✭Saila


    no we spank the monkey up this way


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭later12


    ItsAWindUp wrote: »
    Nothing like celebrating a time of peace and love with a bit of mindless slaughter eh?
    No wrens are killed in hunting the wren,

    The only thing that gets slaughtered are republican ballads, usually.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,439 ✭✭✭Kevin Duffy


    Whoever finds the "W" wins.


  • Registered Users Posts: 44,080 ✭✭✭✭Micky Dolenz


    Saila wrote: »
    the ren?


    Bet you feel silly now. :P


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,751 ✭✭✭Saila


    Bet you feel silly now. :P

    no just not a muck savage :P


  • Registered Users Posts: 44,080 ✭✭✭✭Micky Dolenz


    Saila wrote: »
    no just not a muck savage :P


    We rather be called Bog Warriors.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,562 ✭✭✭✭Sunnyisland


    Its still done in sandymount Dublin.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭chucken1


    The 'ran' the 'ran' the king of the birds
    Saint Stephens day got caught in the furze
    Up with the kettle and down with the pan
    Give us a penny to bury the 'ran' :cool:



    Before anyone asks...No I dont know what its about :D


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭senorwipesalot


    We rather be called Bog Warriors.
    Will settle for Wooly Backs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34,418 ✭✭✭✭hondasam


    Saila wrote: »
    no just not a muck savage :P

    you dunno what your missing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,929 ✭✭✭Raiser


    We used get a very rare call in from "Wren Boys" (used include the odd girl) - Sang a few suspect songs with lots of lyric confusion and guilty faces, then the hand was out for money before making off for the hillsides....

    - Tradition disguised as a drink money scam (oh...Got that backwards.....)


  • Registered Users Posts: 193 ✭✭Marcia Lustley


    very common in connemara, daddies and uncles get them on christmas day night, kids visit neighbours with the wrens in jam jars (ventilation holes provided!), you sing, dance or play an instrument and they would give a pound.
    i remember making 100 pounds one year on the dreoilín!
    always released them as soon as we were done


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,598 ✭✭✭boomkatalog


    mariaalice wrote: »
    I know its common in Kerry and Tippeary bus is it common in any other counties in Ireland.


    Actually we'd call it "Goin on the ran", and it's not that popular. It's gone the same way as Trick-or-treating, nobody will go anymore.

    People would go around in small groups singing carols for money dressed like idiots. It's festive begging.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭later12


    It's festive begging.
    That's a very negative way of looking at it; around our way it's often been done as a fundraising activity (for community development as opposed to personal use).

    I think it's a charming tradition, I always loved seeing wren boys as a kid and still do today. It's a lovely reminder of our Celtic heritage in these islands, perhaps even partially pagan in its origin.

    Does anyone know much about it, or have any good links?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,439 ✭✭✭Kevin Duffy


    later10 wrote: »
    That's a very negative way of looking at it; around our way it's often been done as a fundraising activity (for community development as opposed to personal use).

    I think it's a charming tradition, I always loved seeing wren boys as a kid and still do today. It's a lovely reminder of our Celtic heritage in these islands, perhaps even partially pagan in its origin.

    Does anyone know much about it, or have any good links?

    Back to the Battle of Clontarf, isn't it? The wren alerting Brian Boru's Viking enemies by pecking at a drum iirc.

    Edit: There's a few theories


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,500 ✭✭✭✭DEFTLEFTHAND


    The wren boys calling at the door on Stephens day is a yearly occurrence here in the part of north Tipp where I live, We never answer though.:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,598 ✭✭✭boomkatalog


    later10 wrote: »
    That's a very negative way of looking at it; around our way it's often been done as a fundraising activity (for community development as opposed to personal use).

    People I knew from school who did it door-to-door didn't give the money to charity anyway, and that's my only experience of it. It'd be a nice tradition if it was organised properly for a particular charity but around my way it's not unfortunately.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,378 ✭✭✭Duffy the Vampire Slayer


    Very common in Mayo and Roscommon, referred to as Wren-Boying. I have awful trouble explaining it to people from other parts of the country.

    Oh and we didn't have any of this fancy trick or treating when I was growing up. Damn American tradition.


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