Swords Mummers, Co. Dublin, Ireland 1964
This ‘Newsbeat’ report from 50 years ago provides an insight into the world of mumming in Swords, North County Dublin.
A spokesman for mummers tells Des Keogh that mumming is a local source of entertainment in Swords over the Christmas period.
He describes mumming as a short folk play with three characters including an Irish soldier, Prince George and a doctor. The play must contain a combat scene, followed by the death and revival of Prince George. The death represents winter and the revival symbolises spring.
Mumming has a 200 year tradition in Swords where each year mummers travel from house to house entertaining friends and neighbours on St. Stephen’s Day.
Credit to : CR’s Video Vaults