Murphy's Emerald Idyll

Ireland

        Ireland, like most countries, has a number of Christmas traditions that are all of its own. Many of these customs
have their root in the time when the Gaelic culture and religion of the country were being suppressed and it is perhaps because of that they have survived into modern times.

        The placing of a lighted candle in the window of a house on Christmas eve is still practiced today. It has a number
of purposes but primarily it was an symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph as they traveled looking for shelter.
The candle also indicated a safe place for priests to perform mass as, during Penal Times this was not allowed.
A further element of the tradition is that the candle should be lit by the youngest member of the household and only be
extinguished by a girl bearing the name 'Mary'.

        During Penal Times there was once a plot in a village against the local soldiers. They were surrounded and were about to be ambushed when a group of wrens pecked on their drums and awakened the soldiers. The plot failed and the wren became known as 'The Devil's bird'.
        On St. Stephen's Day a procession takes place where a pole with a holly bush is carried from house to house and
families dress up in old clothes and with blackened faces. In olden times an actual wren would be killed and placed on
top of the pole.  This custom has to a large degree disappeared but the tradition of visiting from house to house on St. Stephen's  Day has survived and is very much part of Christmas.

        The placing of a ring of Holly on doors originated in Ireland as Holly was one of the main plants that flourished
at Christmas time and which gave the poor ample means with which to decorate their dwellings.  All decorations are traditionally taken down on Little Christmas (January 6th.) and it is considered to be bad luck  to take them down beforehand.

        The Gaelic greeting for 'Merry Christmas' is:  'Nollaig Shona Duit'......which is pronounced as 'null-ig hun-a dit'.

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