Come Back Quire

 The Come Back Quire gave a free concert at the Globe yesterday afternoon, and the place was pretty full.  It was a mix of songs they had done as the Village Quire and new material - carols, Welsh plygains and traditional songs, with readings from Under the Greenwood Tree, a medieval poem called This Endris Night, The Shepherd's Dog by Leslie Norris (who was present at the Nativity), and The Diary of a Farmer's Wife 1796, based on Ann Hughes' Boke, a manuscript diary which is now sadly lost.  Ann was a farmer's wife in South Herefordshire.

The concert was free, but they had invited a fund raiser for Shelter Cymru along, and he gave a little speech at the beginning of the interval about the work they do, and how important it is.   It seemed appropriate, since several of the songs in the concert were about remembering the poor at Christmas.

The second half began with a real Welsh tradition - we were visited by the Mari Lwyd!  This is a horse's skull on a stick, with a white sheet draped over the performer, who is led around on a leash.

 

There was a small child up on the balcony who was leaning out to try to pat it!

I've missed nearly every Christmas Carol Concert in Hay this year for one reason or another - I'm very glad I didn't miss this one!