Irish Mumming

The Irish Christmas Book
Edited by John Killen

Here are some small snippets of an Irish Mummers' Play
with the ubiquitous Turkish Knight of the English plays replaced by Oliver Cromwell !!

The Chrismas Rhymers
by Lynn Doyle
from "An Ulster Childhood," 1921

This describes a group of youngsters touring their locality staging a mummers play with all the familiar characters: St. George, Oliver Cromwell, the Doctor, Little Devil Doit (female), and Beelzebub. This is the only snippet quoted:

"Room, room, brave and gallant boys,
We come to show activity about these Christmas times,
Active youth and active age, the like was never acted on the stage,
And if you don't believe what I say enter in St. George and he'll clear the way."

For other information about mumming see:

Mumming - Walford  - 1883 # Mumming - Hazlitt - 1905 # Quidhampton Mummers Play - 1913