Wrens are small, brown birds that are native to Ireland.
They tend to live in oak trees and are the only birds who sing in the winter. Wrens
are one of the most common birds to see around Ireland and live in a variety of
landscapes. They are known for their round bodies, cocked tail, and red-brown body
with a paler underbody.
The wren is known as the “King of the Birds.” They are
native to Ireland and are known to be the wisest birds, even outsmarting the
eagle. This is how they got their nickname in Ireland. Their name in Irish is “dreoilín”,
which means trickster.
One tale tells the story of how the wren became the
highest-flying bird in Ireland. The wren stealthily hid in the tail feather of
an eagle as it ascended to the sky. Once the eagle could fly no higher due to
exhaustion, the wren came out and flew a bit higher. The eagle was upset that
he was the wren who won by being cunning instead of strong, but the wren
showed that wisdom is just as valid as strength.
Another name for the wren in Irish is “Drùi donn,” which
translates to “the brown druid”. Some stories echo this, saying that the
nickname of the wren could be “Druid Bird.” Druids believed that wrens could
carry messages to the Otherworld, and the flight patterns were looked at for
answers and signs from spirits and gods.
Later stories viewed the wren in a negative light. One claimed
that a wren gave St. Stephen over to the Jews. Another claimed that a wren woke
Cromwell’s men just as the Irish were about to attack. There was also a witch
named Cliona who was imprisoned in a cage but she was able to be free once a
year to cause as much mayhem as she could.
Killing wrens and messing with their nests is frowned upon.
In fact, killing a wren is said to bring about a life of poverty and misery to
whoever committed the act. Wrens are also known to protect the trees they live
in, so they hold sacred place for practical reasons as well.
The only exception to this was Wren Day, which falls on
December 26 each year. Since wrens are the only birds that sing in winter,
people would capture a wren and beg it for passage through the frigid cold
winter and snow from supernatural spirits. It decorated the holly tree of each
house it was called to until it was given a ritual burial. The burial
represented saying goodbye to the year.
Sometimes, “wren boys,” as those who hunted the wrens were known, would go door to door, pretending they had a wren in a box. They would wear costumes, most commonly a straw outfit but occasionally one made of animal skin. There would sometimes be a wren, but often, it was something else like moss, a robin, hay, or a mouse. This is called “going a Wren.” After the group was done, they would celebrate at someone’s home, bringing wine for the women and a barrel of alcohol for the men.
Sources:
-Wren Folklore and St. Stephen’s Day
-Wren
Related Articles:
-Boxing Day/St. Stephen's Day: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2024/12/boxing-dayst-stephens-day.html
-Winter Solstice and Yule: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2024/12/winter-solstice-and-yule.html
-Celtic Superstitions: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2024/12/celtic-superstitions.html