In the wake of the success of The Waterford Walls and something similar in the Limerick, all over Ireland murals are popping up on empty walls.
Here’s one that has gone up during the week, in Parliament street, Ennistymon. A little contribution to the iconography of the whistle.
It was early on a sleety Saturday morning, I was on my way to a cappuccino and crêpe across the street and was not carrying a camera. Phone pictures will have to do for now.
Two session scenes have gone up in a laneway in Ennis recently, I’ll post those at some stage, no whistlers there though, wall to wall flutes, fiddles and boxes.
Question: Do you think think this particular piece will be considered controversial by the locals? Not looking to start an off-limits political discussion, however the piece is clearly making multiple statements and I’m just wondering how you, as a local, feel other area residents will react - Positively, Negatively, Neutrally? Just curious, no agenda.
This sort of thing goes through a planning process and permission was granted.
Can’t imagine this whistler generating controversy (I fail to see anything controversial, to be honest. It’s a modern take on the traditional Strawboy/Mummers/Wren boy appearance)
I wasn’t aware of the Mummer’s hat and it’s history, so that information was educational and appreciated, particularly because our nation’s oldest, and possibly most interesting parade is The Mummers Parade in my hometown of Philadelphia, which I went to quite often as a child. Obviously related only in a distant and derivative way, but the connection is fascinating to me none the less.
The Dingle wren on St Stephen’s day is very much alive. Raucous stuff always and great outfits. I can see the link to the Philly parade.
Here is one member of the Sraid Eoin wren, which has people like Aoife Granville and Charlie Piggot among their ranks:
Strawboys invading after a wedding is always fun tpp. And there seems to be a resurgence of Mummers too, saw a bit on the tellie recently about North County Dublin Mummers, with (to my surprise) several people among them I know( See here, starting at 13.15)
This thread has taken a bit of an unexpected direction. We’ll run with it, for now .
Anyhow, a lot has been written about Wrenboys, Strawboys and Mummers. Probably best not to conflate them, perhaps regard hem as branches from the same tree.
Hi Mr. Gumby
That an informative article. I think it is a good thing to keep traditions alive.
Those costumes are actually a little scary. It seems that music plays a big role, in those events.
I was wondering if there are any traditional tunes, that are usually played for such events.
Although the Dingle wren groups have a more or less specific repertoire associated with them, for most strawboys, mummers and wrenboys any old tune will do these days, I suppose.
There are several jigs called ‘the Mummers’ so that may be a sign there were, at one time, specific tunes in some locations.
Na Piobairi Uilleann’s Notes and narratives series has this talk: Fingal and its mummers
When I lived up in Canberra we had a set of tunes we knew collectively as “The Wran Tunes”. I don’t remember why or who might have called them that. Doesn’t ring any bells with anyone?
There was a set of whistle tunes on De Danan’s second recording that Charlie Piggot brought in from the Dingle wren: the Bank of the Quay and Crucaharan Cross.. Everybody took them up at the time. So that well be the ones.
Ah, good thinking - the time would be right. I’ll check them out tomorrow. It’s getting late at night here now so not the time to traumatise the neighbours. It was 36ºC here today, so everyone will have their windows open! We’re playing outdoors tomorrow for St Paddy’s, but fortunately they’re predicting “low twenties”. I do hope they are right!
I don’t remember much 36ºC in back in 1974 while riding our bikes from Limerick up to Gort, and then back down the coast road. We did get pretty seriously rained on though…
Ah, spot on Mr Gumby, well done. Yes, a young couple from Canberra were over your way about that time and came back with them, only identified as “The Wran Tunes”. Haven’t played them in years, but there they were, on the end of the whistle. Long term memory is a wonderful thing, isn’t it. Now what was your name again, young man?
Absolutely great. I enjoyed listening to the history and tradition he is talking about.
It is fascinating how everything is connected, yet different.
Thank you very much.
The original images that started this thread have gone down (I can re-post if need be), but to complete the discussion, if anyone is interested: a web page has gone up with some background to the project that started this thread.
