All About Cork: Carrigaline full of colour for annual Wrenboys celebrations

Fri, 02 Jan, 2026 - 07:00

Bill Browne

Main Street Carrigaline was filled with colour, music, singing and dancing for the annual Wrenboys Street festival on St Stephen’s Day morning.

More than 50 Wrenboys dressed in colourful costumes and straw suits created great fun and excitement for the huge crowd that gathered for the event.

George Evangelou, Richelle Clancy, Cleopatra Evangelou and Niamh Clancy dressed as astronauts at the Wren Boys Street Festival

The Gig Rig provided by Griffin’s Potatoes was set up by Phelan’s Pharmacy and the Main Street from the Bank of Ireland to the Corner House was closed to through traffic from 10am to 2pm.

The Wren boys approached from the south and the Strawboys arrived from the north led by a piper to the delight of the crowd.

The colourful wren boys arrive down Main Street.

The ceol and the craic was mighty as the crowds sang and danced to the best of traditional music and singing.

It was great to see three generations involved not alone in the Wren but also in the action in the Céilí for a couple of hours on the street.

Wren Boys pose for the camera at the Wren Boys Street Festival that was held on St. Stephen's day in Carrigaline.

It was a study to see so many locals and visitors with their phones and cameras recording the event The Strawboys visited the pubs singing and dancing as they travelled.

A collection was taken up by the Wren in aid of Marymount Hospice and Cork Simon.

The colourful wren boys arrive down Main Street to take part at the Street Festival that was held on St. Stephen's day in Carrigaline, Co. Cork.

Comhaltas wish to thank all who helped and supported the event in any way including the gardaí, Order of Malta and the members of the GAA, Macra and the Men’s Shed who helped with the barriers and the stewarding and of course the public who turned up in such great numbers.