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The Wran

from Mid​-​Winter Light by IONA

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The Wran/Ballyhooly Ireland 4:18
The old Irish tradition of Hunting the Wren (pronounced Wran) is shrouded in the mists of time and is still practiced in many parts of Ireland (and other Celtic areas), particularly in Co. Kerry. In times past, a group of lads from the village actually hunted and killed wrens, tied them to a holly bush and paraded around the locality in celebration of the Winter Solstice Festival on St. Stephen's Day – the day after Christmas. Now the Wran is represented by a symbolic bird in a holly bush and accompanied by much music-making and merriment. Why the poor wren? Medieval texts interpret the etymology of wren, the Irish for which is dreolín, as 'druid bird': there is a theory that the Wran ritual derived from the efforts of clerics in the middle ages to undermine vestiges of druidic reverence and practices regarding the bird.
Jim sings an abridged version of the song (which boasts innumerable verses!) sung by the wrenboys and chose the jig Ballyhooly as a festive foil. The arrangement ends in a wild slide (12/8) romp!

lyrics

THE WRAN

The wran, the wran the king of all birds
St Steven's Day was caught in the furze
Although he was little his honor was great
Jump up, me lads and give him a "trate"

As I was going to Killenaul,
I met the wran upon the wall
Up wid me wattle and knocked him down
And dragged him into Carrick Town

Droleen, droleen, where's your nest
‘Tis in the bush that I love best
In the bush, the holly tree
Where all the boys to follow me

Up with the kettle and down with the pan
And give us a penny to bury the wran

We followed the wran three miles or more
Three miles or more, three miles or more
Followed the wran three miles or more
At six o'clock in the mornin'

I have a little box under me arm,
Under me arm, under me arm,
I have a little box under me arm,
A penny, a tuppence will do it no harm

Mrs. Clancy's a very good woman
A very good woman, a very good woman
Mrs. Clancy's a very good woman
She gave us a penny to bury the wran
© 2009 Barnaby Productions Inc.

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from Mid​-​Winter Light, released November 19, 2009

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IONA Washington, D.C.

IONA has been taking its unique brand of traditional Celtic music to festivals, arts centers, schools & house concerts all over North America and Europe since 1986, blending music from the various Celtic traditions with stories and a little humor - Barbara Ryan (vocals, bouzouki, bodhran), Bernard Argent (flute, doumbek), Chuck Lawhorn (bass), Jim Queen (fiddle, banjo) & Kathleen Larrick (dance). ... more

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