THE ancient and mainly rural tradition of the Wrenboy is alive, well and thriving in Dublin 4.
Yesterday's 13th annual extravaganza in Sandymount attracted one of its largest crowds yet, with two Government Ministers among the young and old enjoying themselves.
There was the usual colourful parade of the Wrenboys and an abundance of music, song and dance from an open air stage, compered by broadcaster Peter Murphy.
The local hostelries did a roaring trade, as well as supplying the performers with sandwiches and the occasional liquid stimulant. As Mr Gus Ryan, of Ryan's public house, remarked: "This is great for the village. There was a time when you would see only cats and dogs in Sandymount on the morning of St Stephen's Day."
There was bonhomie everywhere. The Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn, chatted in amiable tones with Fianna Fail's general secretary, Mr Pat Farrell.
Mr Quinn is a regular at the event - it is in his Dublin SouthEast constituency - and in the past has been known to dress in the Wrenboy outfit. Will he don a hairshirt when he presents the Budget on January 22nd?
"The Budget will contain no great surprises. We have yet to decide the details of the taxation package, which will be aimed at the lower to middle income groups. Overall, the Budget will be geared towards rewarding work, promoting enterprise and strengthening social solidarity."
The Minister's two year old son Conan was perched comfortably on his father's shoulders. ,Santa Claus visited Conan on Christmas Eve, setting, according to the Minister, a high standard for the Budget in the gifts he brought. These, for the record, were a lorry and a tea set. You may decide for yourself what the budgetary equivalent would be.
And the election date? Mr Quinn was giving nothing away, other than to outline his budgetary programme for next year and beyond, as if the Rainbow Coalition will retain its political colours indefinitely.
No clue either from Mr Enda Kenny. All the Minister for Tourism and Trade would say was that it would be some time in 1997.
He recalled how strong the Wrenboy tradition was in his native Co Mayo in his youth, when £1 would be an average taking after a day of singing and playing music. But social patterns had changed and nowadays, he said, the growth in crime meant many people in rural parts are reluctant to open their doors to stranger even the Wrenboys.
Proceeds from the Sandymount event go to Cerebral Palsy Ireland. One of its founders, Mr Bob Ryan, a former AIB executive, said the publicity it generated had helped to encourage a revival of the Wrenboy tradition in other parts of the State.
"When there is dancing at the crossroads in Dublin 4, why should it not be the same elsewhere?"
Dressed in a spectacular Mexican cowboy outfit, Mr Tom Ahern, from Clane, Co Kildare, was in fine voice. "I think that the more European we become, the more interested we will be in our own traditions, such as the Wrenboy."
And given it is a time of the year when romance blossoms, he noted the ideal partnership for a Kildare couple: "A Clane man and a Prosperous woman."
