YOUR RESPONSES

Rose Donohoe - May 2004
The sight you describe was a mumming re-enactment by the mummers from Derrylin (see an article on this site in the Fermanagh section on the Aughakillymaude Community Mummers). County Fermanagh and several of the border towns carried the tradition of mumming at Weddings, Christmas, Hallow'een and special occasions like American wakes (when someone was emigrating). The mummers band would go around the locality and sing, play music and do "rhyming" for entertainment. My own father who played the accordian often went out mumming in his youth. People gave money to the group who then bought a quarter barrel of porter for the celebration that was taking place. Much rascality and many pranks were carried out in the course of these mumming sessions and no wedding escaped the attention of the adventurers. Although the tradition has died out generally most of our older generation still remember when it was common practice.