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What is the wren tradition?

What is the wren tradition?

The wren tradition is known to take place in Ireland and England where, in previous times,wrenboyswould hunt a wren, kill it, and visit homes reciting a poem that asked for money to give the bird a proper burial. A feather from the wren might be offered to the patrons for good luck.

What happens on Wren day?

Wren Day, also known as Wren’s Day, Day of the Wren, or Hunt the Wren Day (Irish: Lá an Dreoilín), is an Irish celebration held on 26 December, St. Then the crowds of mummers, or strawboys, celebrate the wren (also pronounced wran) by dressing up in masks, straw suits, and colourful motley clothing.

What tradition occurred in Ireland on 26th December?

Stephens Day (December 26) in Ireland, the traditional 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. The wren hunt is a unique Irish tradition for St. Stephen’s Day.

Why is it called Wren day?

In Ireland, the day after Christmas means hunting down a small bird and tying it to the top of a pole. That’s how the Irish celebrate St. Stephens Day, or Wren Day.

What do wrens like eating?

Food~ Wrens eat mostly tiny insects, They hunt spiders and insects, such as beetles, bugs and various caterpillars. They stuff their nestlings with a similar diet, along with grasshoppers and crickets. They will eat mealworms, tiny pieces of suet, peanut & sunflower pieces.

Why is the wren called the king of all birds?

The origin of the word wren in Irish is dreoilín, which means a trickster. The trickery and cunningness of wren is popular since the day it was titled as ‘The King of Birds’. The story goes that all the birds gathered to choose the king of the birds.

What is Dingle wren?

A pantomime-type horse with a wooden head, snapping jaws and a body made from cloth stretched across a timber frame, it is worn on the shoulders of one of the members of the Wren – who whirls and capers at the head of the parade. The horse, for social and military reasons, was of great importance in ancient Ireland.

What is the wren in Irish?

Dreolín
Wren

Irish Name: Dreolín
Scientific name: Troglodytes troglodytes
Bird Family: Wrens

Why did people hunt the wren?

It was said that capturing the bird alive would herald in a new and prosperous year. As the king of the birds the wren occupied a prominent position in the druidic pagan religion. Sailors and fishermen believed that those who possessed a wren feather would never be shipwrecked.

What does the name wren mean for a girl?

Small Bird
The name Wren is primarily a female name of English origin that means Small Bird.

What can you feed wrens in winter?

Wrens will look for food inside large plant pots, especially if they are already near cover from which they can easily fly. Finely grated mild cheese, smaller pieces of crushed peanuts, oatmeal, dried mealworms would be well appreciated.

Do wrens feed from bird feeders?

In the garden, wrens will dart about quickly on the ground and will feed from ground feeders. Ideal wild bird food would be seed mixes, peanut granules and, in particular, live foods such as mealworm.

How is the day of the Wren celebrated?

Wren Day, also known as Wren’s Day, Day of the Wren, or Hunt the Wren Day ( Irish: Lá an Dreoilín ), is celebrated on 26 December, St. Stephen’s Day in a number of countries across Europe. The tradition consists of “hunting” a fake wren and putting it on top of a decorated pole. Then the crowds of mummers, or strawboys,…

When do they hunt the Wren in Ireland?

Ancient Irish tradition of hunting the wren on St. Stephen’s Day On St. Stephens Day (December 26) in Ireland, the traditional 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.

When do they hunt wrens on St Stephen’s Day?

On St. Stephens Day (December 26) in Ireland, the traditional 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. The wren hunt is a unique Irish tradition for St. Stephen’s Day. Getty.

Where does the story of Hunt the Wren come from?

The earliest and most common folklore story accounting for the origin of hunt the wren tells of a fairy/enchantress/witch whose beauty lures the men of the Isle of Man to harm, for which she is chased and is changed into the form of a wren. It is therefore in punishment for her actions that the wren is hunted on St. Stephen’s Day.