Hunting the wren on stephens' day

24-12-2011 10:14pm #1

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

Saila · 24-12-2011 10:15pm

the ren?

chin_grin · 24-12-2011 10:16pm

Must be a bogger thing.

Larianne · 24-12-2011 10:16pm

Yep, they do it in county Dublin and Meath.

ChunkyLover_53 · 24-12-2011 10:19pm

Do you hunt Stimpy aswell?

Stimpy you EEEDEEOTT!

senorwipesalot · 24-12-2011 10:20pm

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

later12 · 24-12-2011 10:20pm

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.

chin_grin · 24-12-2011 10:21pm

senorwipesalot wrote: »

It's spelt wren, everywhere.

FYP.

paky · 24-12-2011 10:22pm

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

podgemonster · 24-12-2011 10:22pm

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

Nodin · 24-12-2011 10:23pm

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.

senorwipesalot · 24-12-2011 10:25pm

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.

ItsAWindUp · 24-12-2011 10:30pm

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

Saila · 24-12-2011 10:30pm

no we spank the monkey up this way

later12 · 24-12-2011 10:32pm

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.

Kevin Duffy · 24-12-2011 10:32pm

Whoever finds the "W" wins.

Micky Dolenz · 24-12-2011 10:33pm

Saila wrote: »

the ren?

Bet you feel silly now. :P

Saila · 24-12-2011 10:35pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Bet you feel silly now. :P

no just not a muck savage :P

Micky Dolenz · 24-12-2011 10:37pm

Saila wrote: »

no just not a muck savage :P

We rather be called Bog Warriors.

Sunnyisland · 24-12-2011 10:42pm

Its still done in sandymount Dublin.

chucken1 · 24-12-2011 10:43pm

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

senorwipesalot · 24-12-2011 10:46pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

We rather be called Bog Warriors.

Will settle for Wooly Backs.

hondasam · 24-12-2011 10:49pm

Saila wrote: »

no just not a muck savage :P

you dunno what your missing.

Raiser · 24-12-2011 10:51pm

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.....)

Marcia Lustley · 24-12-2011 10:53pm

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

boomkatalog · 24-12-2011 10:53pm

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.

later12 · 24-12-2011 11:08pm

boomkatalog wrote: »

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?

Kevin Duffy · 24-12-2011 11:10pm

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

DEFTLEFTHAND · 24-12-2011 11:15pm

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

boomkatalog · 24-12-2011 11:15pm

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.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 24-12-2011 11:16pm

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.

chucken1 · 24-12-2011 11:17pm

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

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

Interesting how many people from North Tipp here

Hi neighbour

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 24-12-2011 11:19pm

boomkatalog wrote: »

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.

Of course they don't do it for charity. If you'd asked me to give away my wren boying money, I'd have told you where to go. Its like asking a kid to give away their halloween sweets.

chucken1 · 24-12-2011 11:19pm

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

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.

Pouca Pouca Halloween
Nuts and apples for the queen!