The sun has emerged as the undisputed star of the 2003 St Patrick's Festival in Dublin. All weekend, people have been walking around in a sort of daze, wearing puzzled expressions and sunglasses, sweating under green Afro wigs.
Ice-cream stands are doing a roaring trade, picnics are being held in the parks. In March. In Dublin. Hail glorious St Patrick.
There is something decidedly non-traditional about being able to drown the shamrock without being drowned by the elements. Where is the rain? The sleet? That sinking feeling when you realise you left the umbrella at home?
Bare-legged majorettes with blue knees and goose pimples, normally a sure sign that the shamrock season is upon us, were impossible to spot in the cool but sunny city yesterday.
Instead, the enviably tanned Superstars troupe from Florida managed to chat amicably without their teeth chattering once. They had joined the throng for the Big Day Out at Merrion Square, which was a smorgasbord of inflatable fun. There were bouncy slides and bouncy castles and bouncy six-a-side soccer.
Inevitably the queues were long but neither the parents nor children who were waiting for up to an hour seemed to mind. Adrienne had brought a niece and nephew from Co Wicklow into town for the day.
"When we were young all we had was the parade. I think the kids are in shock there are so many people around and so much to do," she said. She said the atmosphere was "absolutely fantastic".
But some things never change. At the end of the day, bins around Merrion Square were overflowing with drink cans, burger wrappers and other festival debris. While families were relieved to note the area around the funfair was bursting with portaloos, it appeared, though, that no extra bins had been laid on to cope with the build-up of rubbish.
Still, it was plain to see from the painted and smiling faces of children and parents that those who attended really did get the big day out they were promised by festival organisers. And the sun kept shining, which on an action-packed St Patrick's weekend was the most startling thing of all.