Live animal crib adds to seasonal festivity

WHAT llamas have to do with Christmas is anyone’s guess, but the nativity scene at Dublin’s Mansion House had a pair of them yesterday — and the children loved them.

Also featured in this year's live animal crib are donkeys, calves, goats and sheep and, even though it is still 11 days to December 25, baby Jesus is already in the manger.

Only one Wise Man travelled far to the capital to open the life size crib yesterday and he came from the mid-west, not the east.

This year it fell to father of nine and president of the Irish Farmers' Association John Dillon to do the honours.

The IFA live crib is the only one of its kind in Ireland. It is a stable erected in the forecourt of the Mansion House in Dawson Street and is a magnet for young and old alike.

There were plenty of Christmas stars once all the formalities were over they shone in the eyes of little children who had turned up for the opening.

The little angels who also appeared were children from St Joseph's Nursery, Maryland, who sang Christmas carols.

Adding to the magical atmosphere were characters from the pantomime Aladdin, which is showing at the Liberty Hall Theatre.

The animals will be in the crib up until Christmas Eve and will be cared for by agricultural and veterinary students from University College Dublin. Every evening the animals will be taken to a farm on the outskirts of Dublin where they can rest overnight.

The students will also be collecting donations for the Mansion House Fuel Fund that is distributed to families in need. Last year's collection exceeded €13,000.

The live crib is the IFA's gift to the people of Dublin and has become an annual event for the past eight years. "The tradition of a live crib is a fantastic one. It creates a very festive atmosphere around the Mansion House and is a lovely occasion for the children," said the Lord Mayor Cllr Dermot Lacey.