Live animal crib opens at Mansion House as little angels steal the show

There was no baby Jesus in the live animal crib, but if there was the children from St Joseph’s Nursery would probably have upstaged him. Dressed as angels, the three and four-year-olds from the day care centre on Morning Star Road playschool giggled, yawned and sang their way through the opening of the Irish Farmers Association’s live animal crib at the Mansion House in Dublin.

They tottered down the steps of the house as Dublin Lord Mayor Christy Burke began to speak and all eyes turned to them. Flanked by the Lucan Gospel choir, they enthusiastically embarked on a rendition of When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney as parents held their phones and iPads aloft to capture the moment.

The opening of the live animal crib, complete with a donkey, a goat and sheep, is one of the highlights of the festive season and this year marks the 20th anniversary of the event.

Entrance is free but donations are welcome and IFA president Eddie Downey said it had raised more than €16,000 for the Mansion House Fuel Fund last year. Cllr Burke said the fund was opened in 1891 to help homeless people after a particularly hard winter. The money is distributed to charities such as St Vincent de Paul and Dublin Simon Community.

He said his office had received calls as long as ago as September and October, asking when the crib would be open. “It’s really, really a very important part of the structure of Dublin city,” he said. “For the citizens, for the visitors, I think it’s terrific.”

Mr Downey said the farmers' association was delighted to work with Dublin City Council to set up the live animal crib. "Particularly at the current time, with all the issues around the homeless situation, it's good that we do this. It's good that the people of Dublin come to it."

The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals advises on the care of the animals and Mr Downey said they were very well looked after during their stay in Dublin. They have a new crib this year, courtesy of Dublin City Council’s housing department.

The live animal crib is open at the Mansion House every day from 11am to 6pm but will close at 2pm on Christmas Eve.