For Yer Women, the Women

Cherry

By Turlough

Thu, 06 Jan 2022
  • 1792 reads
14 comments
 

All the year they scrub the homes

From Skibbereen to Portglenone.

They work their fingers to the bone,

Afraid to pause to moan or groan.

 

They milk the cows and plough the earth,

Make the butter, cut the turf,

Without complaint of a greater dearth

Of respite each time they give birth.

 

The food’s prepared while you've been out

Having the craic, drinking the stout

And winking at girls. They've no doubt

Ye're a dirty lazy drunken lout.

 

It's Women's Christmas and the day

That things are done a different way.

Yer man the Pope would even say

It's time the girls went out to play.

 

So now’s the time, the sixth of Jan

To get off your arse if you're a man

And rattle out the pots and pans

For the women have their own wee plan.

 

You can’t argue. You’ve no excuse.

(Tradition says you roast a goose)

So just for once you must deduce

It’s her time to be out on the loose.

 

You’ve got no choice so do your best.

It’s just one day so don’t protest.

With a hundred more she should be blessed.

Nollaig na mBan … Give her a rest!

 

Image:

Created by me.

A jar o’ stout for Nollaig na mBan.

Explanatory note:

In Ireland, the sixth of January is called Nollaig na mBan (pronounced Null-egg na mawn and meaning Women's Christmas). The tradition, still strong in Cork and Kerry, is so called because Irish men take on household duties for the day. Goose was the traditional meat served on Women's Christmas. Some women hold parties or go out to celebrate the day with their friends, sisters, mothers and aunts. As a result, groups of women and girls are common in bars and restaurants on this night. I, in the true spirit of the tradition, was working my fingers to the bone all day even though I’m three thousand kilometres away from Ireland.

Certificate 12
Poem
Poetry in Commotion
Humour
Love

Comments

Submitted by marandina on

Fascinating footnote. Tradition I wasn't aware of. Your poem captures the essence of the occasion so well. Nicely done, sir. Paul

 

Submitted by Turlough on

Thank you very much Paul, and happy Women's Christmas to you.

wink

Turlough

Submitted by celticman on

Feel a bit of a goose, but no goose. 

 

Submitted by Turlough on

There's more than one way to pluck a goose yer know!

Turlough

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I'd never heard of that! I presume the men would have been back to work by then. Wonder whether there could have been more sharing over the holiday period, but you know it is very difficult to share cooking responsibilies isn't it! My husband got on with a lot of cooking when I had my operation recently, but when I started trying to get involved again, he found suggestions hard to cope with, and so either I do it, or he, but with the understanding we'll call the other when needed!

You have a way with rolling rhythm and rhyme, song-like! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Turlough on

Hello Rhiannon.

Female members of my Irish family and female Irish friends have told me that they don't lift a finger on Nollaig na mBan but on each of the days before and after they do double the work in terms of preparation and clearing up. This means that over the course of three days they do four days work around the house.

I was a single parent for a long time so in my branch of the family things are quite different.

I didn't know about your operation. I hope you are recovering well.

And thanks once again for your kind words.

Turlough

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I hadn't heard of this, either, what a brilliant thing :0) Wonderful rhythm, as Rhiannon says

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I've never heard of this tradition Turlough. I thought your poem did justice to the day, with good rhythm and rhyme.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Turlough on

Ah, so you can start planning for next year!

Thank you very much Jenny.

Turlough

Submitted by donignacio on

Fascinating day, one I also never knew existed! I like your line "And winking at girls. They've no doubt / Ye're a dirty lazy drunken lout."

 

Submitted by Turlough on

Thanks very much. That's a common phrase in parts of Ireland.

laugh

Turlough

Submitted by Turlough on

Thank you for the cherries ABC Tales people. 

smiley

Turlough

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Great tradition!

So the day after twelth night is Women's Christmas, Nollaig na mBan - thanks for sharing this.

Nothing like this that I know of in Devon or Somerset but tonight I shall be at St Sidwells in Exeter as a group of us are wassailing the apple trees. In the South West of England a lot of us like cider,

'Old apple tree we'll Wassail thee and hoping thou wilt bear

The Lord does know where we shall be to be merry another year

To blow well and to bear well and so merry let us be

Let ev'ry one drink up their cup and a health to the old apple tree'

Collected from William Crockford, Bratten Exmoor

by Cecil Sharp September 1906

Submitted by Turlough on

Hello Rachel.

I lived in Wiltshire for twenty years so I'm not averse to a bit of wassailing myself. I live in Bulgaria now and here on 14th February each year it is the day of St Trifon Zarazan, the patron saint of grapes and wine. The rituals carried out are very similar to wassailing.

Thank you for reading and commenting (and including Cecil Sharp's poem) and I hope you enjoy this evening's wassail.

Turlough