Harry Lighton

Wren Boys

In his sermon on St. Stephen’s Day, a priest recalls the now-outdated wren hunting tradition. Boys on the cusp of manhood would be sent out to kill a wren and, later, the parish would gather for the burial of the bird. The tradition symbolized the burial of the past: promising a fresh start in the new year. It was a cruel tradition, Father Conor concludes, and he does not legitimize cruelty. Later that day, Conor drives his nephew to prison to visit a battle-worn inmate.

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