A Wren Boy From Rathmore

The fields around Sliabh Luachra with frost were hoary gray On the morning after Christmas on festive St Stephen's Day And the Wren-boys sang the 'Song of the wran' as they marched from door to door To the music of accordions in the old Town of Rathmore. The Wren boys had their face masks on and the boy with the money tin Said 'thank you mam' to the housewife as she dropped a shilling in And then on to the next house for to spread their gift of joy In the heart of gray haired migrant there is still a laughing boy. He himself was a Wren boy far away and long ago When the fields with frost were hoary and the hills wore hats of snow On the morning of St Stephen through the streets of old Rathmore He was following in the footsteps of his father years before. And now he tells his grandchildren before he became a man In Rathmore in County Kerry he sang 'The song of the wran' On the feast day of St Stephen frost or snow or hail or rain Of his Childhood in Sliabh Luachra the good memories remain It was cold on Stephen's morning it had been freezing overnight And the fields around the old Town they were looking gray to white And the Wren boys they were singing as they moved from door to door And the music of their accordions brought great joy to old Rathmore.