Festival Customs

On St. Stephen’s night it is the custom for the boys of Skerries to go round the houses singing and collecting any money they can; When they come to the door they say:

“Here comes I that never came yet
Under my arm I carry my kit. 
And in my hand a dripping pan
And think myself a jolly old man”.

“Here comes I Tom fool
With my bladder and staff.
I did not come here to make you cry
But I came here to make you laugh.
If you do not believe what I say.
Enter Prince George and clear the way.
“Here comes I little “divil” doubt
with a “chaw” of tobacco in my mouth.
Good for one good for two
What the “divil” more can I do”.

The “wran” the “wran” the king of  all birds.
On St. Stephan’s day he was caught in the furze.
We dipped his wing in a barrel of beer.
A merry Christmas and a happy new Year.

Whatever money they collect they share among them.

Leo Derham, Cross Street  (BNS, 1937-‘38)



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20             21
 
St. Stephen's Night

On St. Stephen’s night it is an old custom for the men and boys of Skerries to go rinking. They dress themselves up with old dresses and hats and big boots. They also put false- faces on their faces to make themselves unknown. Here are a few of the rhymes they say to amuse people:-

“Here comes I, Rume, Rhyme,
Grave gallent boys, give me room to rhyme,
I show my tippety act at Christmas times.
I tippety in, I tippety out,
The sound of a horn the roll of a drum,
We are the jolly mummers that are to come,
We are the jolly mummers that can’t be beat,
And if you don’t believe in what I say
Here comes big Joe, the Butcher,
That will clear the way.”

“Here comes I, Joe, the Butcher
With my big knife and steel,
I’d cut a fat cow from the head to the heel,
I’d cut her in slices and do all I could
To make poor Jane the prince of the tram.”

Here is another Rhyme:-

“The wren, the wren the king of all birds,
Last St. Stephen’s Day he caught in the furze,
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