Dublin becomes an also-wran

The rural custom of "following the wran" will come to the heart of Dublin 4 on St Stephen's Day

The rural custom of "following the wran" will come to the heart of Dublin 4 on St Stephen's Day. Singers, dancers, mummers and musicians will gather in Sandymount for the annual Wran Meeting celebrations.

Festivities will begin at 11 a.m. with poetry readings in O'Reilly's public house close to the Green. At noon the party will move to the Guinness Gig Rig - a marquee erected on the Green, where the party will continue into the night.

The highlight of this year's event will be the premiere of the Sandymount Wran Dance, performed by a group from the Olive Hurley School of Irish Dancing.

Mummers from Swords have become regular participants, presenting their eclectic brand of Morris dancing.

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The "Father of the Wran" is Mr Bob Ryan, who came up with the idea 14 years ago. In its first year it was held at the Ranelagh Triangle, and subsequently in Ringsend, before eventually settling in Sandymount Green.

This year's event is expected to attract up to 600 people, with about a third of them in costumes ranging from traditional straw outfits to the truly bizarre.

Masks will be sold, and it is hoped to raise £1,000 for Cerebral Palsy Ireland.

Hunting the Wran is an ancient rite with pre-Christian origins. Wran boys were normally bachelors and always disguised in straw costumes or masks. There was music and the boys demanded money or food.

At the end of the day the wren was buried. The food and money went to the Wran dance, which was a courting ritual for the bachelors.