The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has confirmed to Agriland that the live animal crib will return to the Mansion House in Dublin this year.
The festive attraction, which is popular among people in Dublin and across the country who visit the capital, will be officially launched by Lord Mayor of Dublin, James Geoghegan and IFA president Francie Gorman on December 11.
The live crib, which is free, will then remain open to the public until Christmas Eve.
The stars of last year’s crib: Daisy the donkey, Lilly the goat, along with Paul and Peter the sheep, will all be making a welcome return this year.
The animals will be tended to onsite every day by their owner Fionn Sherlock and will return to their farm in Wicklow each afternoon.
The animals will be gathered around a scene which captures the nativity story that unfolded in Bethlehem over two millennia ago.
In 2022, the live crib was located in St. Stephen’s Green after the former Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy, decided to “revamp” the idea of the crib because of “animal welfare concerns” and not include any live animals.
The crib, which is a joint initiative between Dublin City Council and the IFA, returned to its traditional location of the Mansion House last year.
The crib, which is seen as a central part of the pre-Christmas experience in Dublin since 1995, also serves to bring rural and urban communities together.