Summer Dancing One important event was the the preparation of Y Fedwen Haf or Maypole.There was much rivalry between the villages and unless a strict watch was kept, the Maypole might be stolen, which happened to St.Fagans in 1768. Part of the entertainment would include ritual songs and dances. Summer dancing is announced in May with Morris Teams led by their Branch Bearer carrying a branch or garland of bright yellow, coconout-smelling, spiky gorse. I tried to play Branch Bearer to Mersey Morris when they were dancing at sunrise on May 1st at a local hill. I wore the black top hat and tails, and not blacked up. I took a carpet knife and a pair of gardening gloves. I could not cut one branch of gorse due to the very long thorns. Instead of leading, I kept dropping back and jumping into the bushes to hack away unsuccessfully at yet another gorse.   The Wren Hunt So far we have done nothing about the Wren hunt. (Welsh Folk Customs. Ivor M.Owen) Within living memory, boys would go out on the eve of St.Stephen, catch a Wren and put it in a box or little house. The Wren House at St.Fagans came from Marloes, Pembroke, and one of the last survivals of the custom was at Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant. The decorated house was set on poles and carried round in procession, taking care to visit the houses of the newly-wed. The Welsh Folk Song Society have collected a number of songs used in the procession and this kind of ceremony usually included some kind of dance and should therefore interest us. In the Isle of Man a similar custom exists, but there they usually kill the Wren and hang it on a stick. The Manx Folk Song Society have invented a round dance, called the Wren House. I would not suggest that we should copy them in this; but we might find out more about the Welsh custom. From another source : One colourful piece of folklore which survived into the 19th Century was the 'Hunting the Wren' ceremony practices from St.Stephen's Day to the 6th January (12th day). This processional ceremony gave rise to a wealth of folk songs, examples of which can be found in many Welsh counties, including Clwyd. The practice was to first 'hunt the wren' and then carry it in procession in a Wren House carried on a bier. The wren procession included visits to houses but in some cases the sprinkling of water and monetary rewards.   Cock Fighting Another popular sport of Wales was that of cock-fighting which reached the height of its popularity in the 19th century. Great care was taken in the feeding of fighting cocks and they were often given a diet of sweet butter with white sugar candy and rosemary, wheatmeal mixed with ale and whites of eggs.They were put out to spar, their spurs being covered with muffles during training and were prepared for fighting by clipping their wings and sharpening their beaks. The birds were equipped with metal spurs, in some cases they were made of silver. A cockpit stood originally in the yard of the Hawk and Buckle Inn, Denbigh. The area around Denbigh, where I live, has numerous reports of Morris, Mari Lwyd, Gwasseillwyr, Punch and Judy, etc. The Denbigh cockpit was in existence early in the 18th century and a silver tankard was presented for cock-fighting there in 1726. When the building was handed over to St.Fagans Museum, only the walls and roof remained, the internal fittings having been removed probably in the late19th century. The fighting stage, the seating accomodation, and the promenade have been reconstructed.   Plays Folk plays, performed at Christmas time, also existed in Wales. The text of one at Tenby is quoted by R.Chambers in his book 'Book of Days' (1864). Others existed at Llantwit Major and Gorseinon, and probably elsewhere. Just across the border, Chester has the centuries-old tradition of Mystery Plays.   The Plygain In many parts of Wales, however, Christmas meant rising early (or staying up overnight) to attend the 'plygain' service at the parish church. The hour for the 'plygain' appears to have varied between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., the latter becoming more common as time went on. To await the service, young people, in particular, would pass away the time in one way or another. In some country districts young people would gather at certain farm-houses to make 'cyflaith' (treacle toffee) and spend the night merrily, decorating the houses with holly and mistletoe, as at Marford, Flintshire in the 1830's. According to Mrs.Thrale'a journal of a tour in 1774 the inhabitants of Dyffryn Clwyd kindled their lights at two in the morning and sang and danced to the harp until the 'plygain'. In country districts the 'plygain' at the parish church was attended by people from even the remotest farmsteads. Often each person brought his or her candle to help light the church since, until the nineteenth century, regular services were rarely held at night-time and no provision for lighting was usually made. The brilliant illumination from the candles of the attenders was an important feature of the festival. The 'plygain' itself was an abbreviated form of morning service interspersed with, and followed by, carols sung by soloists and parties. It should be noted that there are references in Wales of men giving up the Morris, once they had taken religion   Modern Times We have International, National, local and youth Eisteddfods which have substantial daily TV coverage of Welsh dance and song, when they are on. Pavarotti was discovered after being in a choir that won the 1965 International Eisteddfod. He came back to Llangollen last year to do a concert of thanks. It was magic, on a beautiful day, surrounded by the Welsh mountains.Living in Wales you cannot avoid seeing traditional dance on TV, visiting it or having your kids compete in it.