Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. Wren Day, also known as Wren's Day, Day of the Wren, or Hunt the Wren Day is celebrated on 26 December, St. Stephen's Day. The tradition consists of “hunting” a fake wren and putting it on top a decorated pole. Then the crowds of mummers, or strawboys, celebrate the wren (also pronounced wran) by dressing up in masks, straw suits, and colourful motley clothing. They form music bands and parade through towns and villages. These crowds are sometimes called wrenboys. In past times and into the 20th century, an actual bird was hunted by wrenboys on St. Stephen's Day. The captured wren was tied to the wrenboy leader's staff or a net would be put on a pitchfork. It would be sometimes kept alive, as the popular mummers' parade song states, “A penny or tuppence would do it no harm”. The song, of which there are many variations, asked for donations from the townspeople. The money collected from the townspeople is usually donated to a school or charity. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed people are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





A costumed participant plays the tin whistle during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Trevis Gleason poses for a photograph during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





John Walker poses for a photograph in costume during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Participants get into their straw costume during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





A fake Wren bird is affixed to a straw costume during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Chris Slattery assembles a straw costume during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Chris Slattery assembles a straw costume during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Chris Slattery (L) assembles a straw costume during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





A costumed participant drinks a pint of Guinness during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Paul McKenzie is seen dressed in a straw costume during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland, December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Phil McSweeney poses for a photograph in Wren costume during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland, December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland, December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland, December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





A costumed participant in a Donald Trump mask is seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland, December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





A wooden Wren is seen affixed to a costume during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland, December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants in Santa Claus outfits are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland, December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Costumed participants are seen during an Irish tradition of Hunting of the Wren festival held every St. Stephen's Day in Dingle, Ireland, December 26, 2016. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)