Happy Christmas to ewe... the live crib is back!
THE live animal crib has returned to Dublin’s Mansion House after it was controversially removed last year.
The nativity scene was blessed yesterday, continuing a tradition that goes back 30 years.
Last year it was relocated, without live animals, at the request of former Lord Mayor and Green party Councillor Caroline Conroy, who had raised animal welfare concerns.
But it has now been revived by the current Lord Mayor, Daithí de Róiste.
He said: ‘Tradition is such an important aspect of Christmas and for many Dubliners, including myself, the Mansion House live animal crib was always a huge part of that.
‘So I am delighted it’s back again this year. I know that the farmers always take great care of the animals and that this year will be no different.’
Irish Farmers Association president Tim Cullinan said: ‘It symbolises so much about Christmas. We’re delighted the Lord Mayor Daithí de Róiste has invited us back and we look forward to working with him.
‘I have spoken to the Irish Farmers Association, who for so many years have been a key part of this tradition, and they have confirmed to me that they are also delighted that we are bringing it back for Christmas 2023.
‘I know that the farmers always take great care of the animals and that this year will be no different,’ he said.
Another former Lord Mayor and Green Party councillor, Hazel Chu, chose to have live animals in the crib during her year in the office, but believes every Lord Mayor has the right to choose.
She said: ‘Each Lord Mayor is of their own preference of what they do in terms having the crib or not having the crib.
‘All Lord Mayors have had the crib, it’s whether they had the animals or not and each Lord Mayor can choose to or choose not to,’ she said.
Ms Chu said her family ‘certainly enjoyed’ the live crib.
‘My daughter certainly enjoyed it, enjoyed seeing the animals every day, but then equally, I guess you have to ask, some people might not enjoy seeing animals in a crib in the city centre, so there’s a balance,’ she said.
But the decision has been criticised by animal rights activists who think the tradition has no place in today’s society.
Campaigner John Carmody of the group Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) told the Irish Daily Mail that he was ‘in shock’ and said the live animal crib was ‘cruel and heartless’.
Mr Carmody said: ‘We’ve just in the last 48 hours had some of the coldest weather in years and we’re now putting these animals on display in the run-up to Christmas.’
‘Cruel and heartless’