Strawboys 2023 Dunleavy's in Winchester MA. USA.

Strawboys, dancing for The Dunleavy/O Leary wedding. This is an old Irish tradition and is meant to bring good luck to the newlyweds. Music provided by Seamus Noonan and friends.
A little bit of a Doolin tradition in Boston. The straw hats were made by family members. We copied a hat made by my father Johnny Dunleavy in 1988 for our strawboys in Doolin, County Clare. Ireland. He learned the tradition from his father Seamus who was born in 1850.
Strawboys coming to your house is supposed to bring good luck to the newly married couple. The minder with the stick (in this case our son) ensures that the dancers wont be disturbed and also controls the action by tapping the stick on the floor.
It is customary to invite the strawboys to stay on and join the party and avail of food and refreshments. This tradition goes back to pagan times, and marks the handing over of the house management to the new lady of the house. Wearing straw hats stems from the fact that back before there were mass produced hats and masks, straw was available and could be woven in to many designs and shapes. Sometimes the dancers wore straw skirts as well and also disguised their faces. Enjoy the music and dancing!