The Biddy: A rural revival

Unless you are from Kerry, it is quite likely you have never heard of the Biddy. Those of you who hail from the Kingdom may be lucky enough to know of this unique, rare and wonderful tradition.

The simplest way of describing the Biddy is that it is similar to the Wren on St Stephen’s Day, but taking place on 1 February, St Bridget’s Day.

A blend of pagan and Christian customs, the Biddy is thought to have roots in Imbloc (the festival celebrating the start of spring) and also St Bridget’s Day.

Particularly in mid-Kerry, people upheld the tradition of the Biddy over the years, dressing up and travelling from house to house playing music, singing, dancing and entertaining.

At the foot of Carrantuohill lies Kilgobnet, a Biddy stronghold. The Kilgobnet National School Biddy, as the title would suggest, centres on the local primary school.

Here, the Biddy is divided in two; the fifth and sixth class pupils go on the junior Biddy and the senior Biddy is their adult equivalent.

Reinvention

Davy Leane is a local sheep farmer and captain of the senior Biddy.

Although the custom of the junior Biddy never faltered over the years, Davy explains that about 20 years ago the senior Biddy died out.

“There was no senior Biddy for a while, but we brought it back about seven years ago,” says Davy.

“When the grants were cut for the school, we needed funding and we said we would try it as a fundraiser.

We went back to the old gang and they came along with us. It is a big fundraiser for the school every year now.

The Biddy takes place across a number of nights around St Bridget’s Day.

Those on the Kilgobnet Biddy have a set costume; white trousers and top with a red and green stripe, a straw hat and a St Bridget’s cross made by local school children.

All of the money raised by the senior Biddy goes towards the running of the school, while the fund from the junior Biddy is donated to a charity of the children’s choice.

“We march into the house, sing a song and dance a set. If the woman and man of the house won’t dance a set, we’ll bring them out on a waltz. They make a donation to us and that goes to the school,” outlines Davy.

Biddy Festival

In Kerry, the Biddy is experiencing a rebirth, with many local groups taking up the reins again. Last year, for the first time in a long time, the Biddy Festival was held in Killorglin and, following its success, it will take place again next week.

At the 2017 festival, Mike Coffey, a sheep farmer from Kilgobnet, was named King of the Biddies. Mike was a stalwart of the old Biddy and continues to be a prominent figure in the revitalised one.

But, speaking to Irish Country Living, Mike explains that he almost did not make his triumphant return.

“One Sunday as I was coming home from mass, a neighbour of mine said they were trying to raise funds for Kilgobnet NS and asked would I make a Biddy.

I said: ‘God almighty, I have my own belly full of Biddies’. I went home and said: ‘The neighbour across the road was on about making a Biddy, what in the name of God.’

“They said to me: ‘Well, won’t your own nephews be going to school there the year after.’ Oh sugar, said I, is that the way. So I had to ring him back anyway and tell them I would be on for it.

"I was delighted I did go because we’ve had some mighty craic.”

Brídeog

Calling from house to house, the captain leads the group to the door. The next person carries the Biddy, which is a doll wearing a white dress, used to symbolise St Bridget.

“In the olden days they used to make the head of the Biddy with a turnip but we no longer do that.

"If there was someone sick in the house, the people of the house might ask that the Biddy be taken to the bedside of the sick person as it is supposed to be some bit of a cure.

“I used to do the brush dance before, but the bones would be getting a biteen stiff. I leave the younger crowd at it now,” laughs Mike.

Straw hats

Mike is one of, if not the last, maker of the straw hats worn on the Biddy in Ireland.

They are made using oaten straw, as any other kind is too brittle. In his younger years, Mike learned how to make the hats out of necessity.

While in primary school, Mike used do work for a neighbouring farmer who put him in touch with a man who would make him a hat.

He paid 10 Woodbines for the hat and was the star of the junior Biddy.

“The old Kilgobnet Biddy came back into where we were leaving. Some fella turned around anyway and said: ‘Who in the name of God has that fine hat?’

He caught the hat, took it off my head and put an old big, clumsy thing sitting up on my shoulders. I spent the night crying over my hat.

“I said, whatever would happen, I would get my own back on him.

"The following year, with the help of my grandfather, who would be crafty enough at that kind of thing, we made a set of hats.”

The group Mike was involved in went on to win the Biddy competition the next year. It is fair to say he most definitely came out on top in the end.

Next week there will be up to 30 people on the Kilgobnet senior Biddy, who will travel down bohereens and up the sides of mountains, keeping an ancient tradition alive, and all the while keeping their locality alive too.

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