Wren Day, also known as Wren's Day, Day of the Wren, or Hunt the Wren Day ( ga, Lá an Dreoilín), is an Irish celebration held on 26 December,
St. Stephen's Day in a number of countries across Europe. The tradition consists of "hunting" a
wren (now a fake wren but previously a real one) and putting it on top of a decorated pole. Then the crowds of ''
mummers
Mummers' plays are folk plays performed by troupes of amateur actors, traditionally all male, known as mummers or guisers (also by local names such as ''rhymers'', ''pace-eggers'', ''soulers'', ''tipteerers'', ''wrenboys'', and ''galoshins''). ...
'', or ''strawboys'', celebrate the
wren (also pronounced ''wran'') by dressing up in masks, straw suits, and colourful
motley clothing. They form music bands and parade through towns and villages. These crowds are sometimes called the wrenboys.
The tradition is closely related to
Hunt the Wren on the
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
, and versions may have been practised across the Anglo, Celtic Isles.
Traditional ceremony
Wren
In past times and into the 20th century, an actual bird was hunted by wrenboys on St. Stephen's Day. The captured wren was tied to the wrenboy leader's staff, a net attached to a pitchfork or a holly bush, which was decorated with coloured paper and ribbons.
It would sometimes be kept alive, as the popular mummers' parade song states, "A penny or tuppence would do it no harm".
Activities and costumes
Wrenboys would go from house to house in the countryside collecting money but in the towns the groups were more organised and there was often an element of faction-fighting. In both cases there would be a Wren Captain (usually wearing a cape and carrying a sword), musicians, and people wearing disguises including straw costumes (worn by "strawboys"), blackened faces,
and dressed as old women. It is a day of wild revelry and people usually use their disguises to play tricks on their friends. This behaviour is reminiscent of the ''skekling'' tradition on the
Shetland Islands. The money collected from the townspeople is usually donated to a school or charity, or used to host a dance or "Wren Ball" for the town on a night in January. Often the boys gave a feather from the bird to patrons for good luck. In recent times, the bands of young boys have been expanded to include girls and adults.
Song
Whilst going from house to house, the Wrenboys would sing a song, of which there are many variations, asking for donations from the townspeople. One variation sung in
Edmondstown
Edmondstown (), sometimes spelt ''Edmundstown'', is an outer suburb of Dublin, in the jurisdiction of South Dublin. It is situated on the R116 regional road, south of Ballyboden and north of Rockbrook, in the valley of the Owendoher River
...
,
County Dublin
"Action to match our speech"
, image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Dublin.svg
, map_alt = map showing County Dublin as a small area of darker green on the east coast within the lighter green background of ...
ran as such (the last two lines of which are used in several festive British begging songs and rhymes including
Christmas is Coming
"Christmas Is Coming" is a traditional nursery rhyme and Christmas song frequently sung as a round. It is listed as number 12817 in the Roud Folk Song Index.
The most famous version goes as follows:
:Christmas is coming, the geese are getti ...
):
The wren the wren the king of all birds
St Stephen's Day was caught in the furze
''Ulex'' (commonly known as gorse, furze, or whin) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. The genus comprises about 20 species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. The species are na ...
Her clothes were all torn- her shoes were all worn
Up with the kettle and down with the pan
Give us a penny to bury the "wran"
If you haven't a penny, a halfpenny will do
If you haven't a halfpenny, God bless you!
In a 1978 recording, the
sean-nós singer
Seosamh Ó hÉanaí
Joe Heaney (AKA Joe Éinniú; Irish: Seosamh Ó hÉanaí) (1 October 1919 – 1 May 1984) was an Irish traditional ( sean nós) singer from County Galway, Ireland. He spent most of his adult life abroad, living in England, Scotland and New York ...
discusses Wren Day activities and the lore behind the tradition. He sings a
macaronic
Macaronic language uses a mixture of languages, particularly bilingual puns or situations in which the languages are otherwise used in the same context (rather than simply discrete segments of a text being in different languages). Hybrid words ...
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
-
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
text, "Dreoilín, dreoilín, Rí na nÉan (Wren, wren, King of Birds)"
Origin
The Celtic theory
The wren celebration may have descended from
Celtic mythology. Ultimately, the origin may be a
Samhain
Samhain ( , , , ; gv, Sauin ) is a Gaelic festival on 1 NovemberÓ hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth Legend and Romance: An Encyclopaedia of the Irish Folk Tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p. 402. Quote: "The basic Irish division of the year ...
or
midwinter
Midwinter is the middle of the winter. The term is attested in the early Germanic calendars.
Attestations
Midwinter is attested in the early Germanic calendars, where it appears to have been a specific day or a number of days during the winter ha ...
sacrifice or celebration, as Celtic mythology considered the wren a symbol of the past year (the European wren is known for its habit of singing even in mid-winter, and its name in the Netherlands, "winter king," reflects this); Celtic names of the wren (''draouennig, drean, dreathan, dryw'' etc.) also suggest an association with
druidic rituals.
Lleu Llaw Gyffes
Lleu Llaw Gyffes (, sometimes spelled Llew Llaw Gyffes) is a hero of Welsh mythology. He appears most prominently in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, the tale of Math fab Mathonwy, which tells the tale of his birth, his marriage, his death, his ...
, a Welsh hero, wins his name by hitting or killing a wren. He strikes a wren "between the tendon and the bone of its leg", causing
Arianrhod
Arianrhod () is a figure in Welsh mythology who plays her most important role in the Fourth Branch of the ''Mabinogi''. She is the daughter of Dôn and the sister of Gwydion and Gilfaethwy; the Welsh Triads give her father as Beli Mawr.Triad 35 ...
, his mother, to say "it is with a skillful hand that the fair-haired one has hit it". At that
Gwydion
Gwydion fab Dôn () is a magician, hero and trickster of Welsh mythology, appearing most prominently in the Fourth Branch of the ''Mabinogi'', which focuses largely on his relationship with his young nephew, Lleu Llaw Gyffes. He also appears ...
, his foster father, reveals himself, saying Lleu Llaw Gyffes; "the fair-haired one with the skillful hand" is his name now".
In the
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
, the hunting of the wren (''shelg yn drean'') is associated with an ancient enchantress or 'queen of the fairies' (or goddess) named 'Tehi Tegi' which translates to something like 'beautiful gatherer' in
Brythonic (the Manx spoke Brythonic before they switched to Gaelic). Tehi Tegi was so beautiful that all the men of the Island followed her around in hope of marrying her, and neglected their homes and fields. Tehi Tegi led her suitors to the river and then drowned them. She was confronted, but turned into a wren and escaped. She was banished from the Island but returns once a year, when she is hunted.
The Christian theory
The myth most commonly told in Ireland to explain the festival is as follows; God wished to know who was the king of all birds so he set a challenge. The bird who flew highest and furthest would win. The birds all began together but they dropped out one by one until none were left but the great eagle. The eagle eventually grew tired and began to drop lower in the sky. At this point, the treacherous wren emerged from beneath the eagle's wing to soar higher and further than all the others. This belief is shown in the song that begins:
"The wren, the wren, the King of All Birds,
St. Stephen's Night got caught in the furze."
This also illustrates the tradition of hunting the wren on Christmas Day (St. Stephen's Eve/Night).
The Norse theory
The tradition may also have been influenced by Scandinavian settlers during the
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
invasions of the 8th to 10th centuries though it is usually attributed to the "Christianising" of old pagan festivals by saints to ease the transition and promote conversion.Various associated legends exist, such as a wren being responsible for betraying Irish soldiers who fought the
Viking invaders by beating its wings on their
shields, in the late 1st and early 2nd millennia, and for betraying the
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
martyr
Saint Stephen
Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ''Stéphanos'', meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor, renown, fame", often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 – c. 34 AD) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first ...
, after whom the day is named. This mythological association with treachery is a possible reason the bird was hunted by wrenboys on
St. Stephen's Day, or why a
pagan sacrificial tradition was continued into Christian times. Despite the abandonment of killing the wren, devoted wrenboys continue to ensure that the
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
tradition of celebrating the wren continues, although it is no longer widespread.
Parallel traditions
England
The custom was probably historically performed in England. It has been revived in
Suffolk by Pete Jennings and the ''Old Glory Molly Dancers'' and has been performed in the village of
Middleton every
Boxing Day evening since 1994.
Wales
Similar traditions of hunting the wren have been performed in
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...
, Wales on
Twelfth Day (6 January).
Isle of Man
A tradition of
Hunting the Wren
"The Cutty Wren" and its variants such as "The Hunting of the Wren" are traditional English folk songs. It is also the territorial song for the British overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha. The origins and meaning of the song are disputed. It ...
happens on the
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
every St Stephen's Day (26 December) at various locations around the Island. This is a circle dance, music and song, taken around the streets. A stuffed wren or substitute is placed at the centre of a tall hooped pole decorated with ribbons and greenery. Then a lively circle dance takes place around it, to live musicians playing the tune, and from time to time the song is sung. The words of the song on the Island are similar to the Dublin variation and the North Wales version.
Spain
In
Galicia,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, the ''Caceria do rei Charlo'' (Chase of King Charles) was performed. The inhabitants of Vilanova de Lourenzá would chase down a wren and, after tying it to a pole, would parade it and show it to the abbot of the local monastery, who would then offer them food and drink and appoint two leaders of the local town council out of the four candidates proposed by townsmen. This tradition has been recorded since the 16th century. The sources are somewhat misleading about the day, since they call it "New Year's Day" but might mean "The day after Christmas", which was regarded then as the end of the year.
France
A similar tradition is performed on the first Sunday of December in parts of Southern
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, including
Carcassonne
Carcassonne (, also , , ; ; la, Carcaso) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is the prefecture of the department.
Inhabited since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the Au ...
.
James George Frazer describes in his ''
The Golden Bough'' a wren-hunting ritual in
Carcassonne
Carcassonne (, also , , ; ; la, Carcaso) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is the prefecture of the department.
Inhabited since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the Au ...
. The ''Fête du Roi de l'Oiseau'', first recorded in 1524 at
Puy-en-Velay
Le Puy-en-Velay (, literally ''Le Puy in Velay''; oc, Lo Puèi de Velai ) is the prefecture of the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of south-central France.
Located near the river Loire, the city is famous for its ...
, is still active.
Popular songs
In 1955
Liam Clancy
Liam Clancy ( ga, Liam Mac Fhlannchadha; 2 September 1935 – 4 December 2009) was an Irish folk singer from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. He was the youngest member of the influential folk group the Clancy Brothers, regarded as Ireland's ...
recorded "The Wran Song" ("The Wren Song"), which was sung in Ireland by wrenboys. In 1972
Steeleye Span recorded "The King" on ''
Please to See the King
''Please to See the King'' is the second album by Steeleye Span, released in 1971. A major personnel change following their previous effort, '' Hark! The Village Wait'', brought about a substantial change in their overall sound, including a lac ...
'', which also reflects the tradition. They made another version, "The Cutty Wren", on their album ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
''. "Hunting the Wren" is on
John Kirkpatrick's album ''Wassail!''.
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...
made a collection of wrenboy tunes on ''
The Bells of Dublin
''The Bells of Dublin'' is a 1991 album of Christmas songs and traditional carols by the Irish band The Chieftains. The album features guest performances by various artists, including Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Mar ...
''. In the song "
The Boys of Barr na Sráide
"The Boys of Barr na Sráide" is a well-known Irish song from a poem written by Irish poet Sigerson Clifford (1913–1985). It is named after a street () in Cahersiveen in County Kerry, Ireland. Clifford was born in Cork city, though both his pa ...
", which is based on a poem by
Sigerson Clifford
Sigerson Clifford (1913 – 1 January 1985) was an Irish poet, playwright and civil servant.
Clifford was born at 11 Dean St, Cork City, and was christened Edward Bernard Clifford. His parents, Michael Clifford and Mary Anne Sigerson, were f ...
, the wren hunt is also prominent.
Lankum
Lankum are a contemporary Irish folk music group from Dublin, consisting of brothers Ian and Daragh Lynch, Cormac MacDiarmada and Radie Peat. In 2018 they were named Best Folk Group at the RTÉ Folk Music Awards, while Radie Peat was named Bes ...
's 2019 album ''The Livelong Day'' includes a track called "Hunting the Wren" that references several of the legends and practices connected with Wren Day.
"The Wren
ran
Ran, RaN and ran may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Ran'' (film), a 1985 film directed by Akira Kurosawa
* "Ran" (song), a 2013 Japanese song by Luna Sea
* '' Ran Online'', a 2004 MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game)
* ...
Song" is also on the
Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem
The Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk music group that developed initially as a part of the American folk music revival. Most popular during the 1960s, they were famed for their Aran jumper sweaters and are widely credited with po ...
's 1995 album ''
Ain't It Grand Boys: A Collection of Unissued Gems'', as the last song in "Children's Medley".
"Ain't it Grand Boys: A Collection of Unissued Gems"
the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, Columbia Records, 1995
Children's Medley
ibid. The spoken introduction tells how as boys they would go out on Christmas Day and kill a wren, and on the next day, St. Stephen's Day, they would go from house to house singing this song and asking for money "to bury the wren".
See also
* St. Stephen's Day
*Junkanoo
Junkanoo is a street parade with music, dance, and costumes with origin in many islands across the English speaking Caribbean every Boxing Day (26 December) and New Year's Day (1 January). These cultural parades are predominantly showcased in t ...
*Cutty Wren
"The Cutty Wren" and its variants such as "The Hunting of the Wren" are traditional English folk songs. It is also the territorial song for the British overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha. The origins and meaning of the song are disputed. It ...
* Mummer's Day
References
External links
Archived audio recording of The Wren Song, sung by Will Murphy, Colliers, Newfoundland
Discussions about the Wren song
Hunt the Wren in the Isle of Man
Handbook of Birds of the World: Wrens family account
!-- this can be used as a proper source; discusses regional variants to the ritual, e.g. the solemn burial of the Wren performed on Man -->
- An excellent account of the origins, history, contemporary aspects and international connections of the wren.
The Weird Side of St. Stephen's day in Ireland & Elsewhere
(Fustar.info)
Hunting the Wren
bbc.co.uk, 23 Dec 2005
{{Winter solstice
Irish mythology
December observances
Irish folklore
International observances
Public holidays in the United Kingdom
Irish culture
Winter events in the Republic of Ireland