Dublin City Council can come in from the cold - Smithfield on Ice is back.
The council had to face the wrath of inner-Dublin residents and politicians after it announced two weeks ago that there would be no ice skating in Smithfield this Christmas. The rink has proved enormously popular with local children over the past five years.
But this year, the council told the company that normally provides the rink that its services would not be needed, as a cheaper provider had been found - only for the new firm to back out of the deal at the 11th hour.
Meanwhile, the original Smithfield company, Diffusion Event Management, was hired by Dún Laoghaire council to build an ice rink there.
Dublin City Council yesterday announced the return of the rink thanks to a partnership of Dundalk Ice Dome, Bravo Group, Oyster and Tara Healthcare.