26 December 2016
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Main Street, Carrigaline is the place to be on St Stephen’s morning for the annual Wrenboys Festival and South Union Hunt meet. Main Street will be closed to through traffic from 11am until 1pm. A great family day out; locals are asked to walk to town centre and for visitors all car parks will be easily accessible.
The Wrenboys will be located on and near the Gig Rig, the gaily dressed Wrenboys will play on the Gig Rig and everyone is invited to join the dancers on the street. The Strawboys are due to parade from the Band Hall at 11.30am to join the fun.
The South Union Hunt gather in the Circus field on to the Crosshaven Road, they move off at 12 noon up Bothar Guidel, left on to the Church Road, left at the Church and down the Main Street for a short stop outside Rosies where they will be treated with the traditional hot toddies. The music and dancing will stop at 12.15pm and the street cleared to allow the hunt gallop south to the strain of An Maidrín Rua. Then it is back to dancing and singing on the street for another hour.
The Wrenboys then visit all the pubs and the hotel playing music and dancing as they go. A collection on the day goes to Marymount and a Motor Neuron cause.
