‘Hunting the wren’ still alive and well in Dublin

THEY come from far and near to honour the wren in Dublin 4, the quintessential city suburb that goes rural every St Stephen’s Day.

Regulars — local residents and those from further afield — rubbed shoulders yesterday with festival newcomers from many countries. Raised hands proclaimed New Zealand and Australia, visitors borne on stories of old-fashioned fun and merriment in Ireland’s capital.

Three-year-old Owen Brady, who came with his parents Claire and Joseph from Boston, celebrated his first “wran” (as the cognoscenti pronounce the word) with his wider Irish connections.