The Celtic Tiger loomed large over Cork's spectacular parade yesterday. "St Patrick Bless the Celtic Tiger" was the message on the float carrying the parade's grand marshal, Geraldine O'Grady from Macroom, who is the reigning Rose of Tralee.
A huge black-and-white tiger lay over the cab of the lorry and appeared to beam fondly on the thousands of people lining the route.
The McCarthy Cup, safe in Cork hands, was on the float as well with members of Cork's All-Ireland hurling team.
A more realistic tiger - the colours were right anyway - appeared on a float from Watergrasshill. This one was peering out of a forest lair of spruce trees and the message from the village's anti-dump group was clear. "The Celtic Tiger Must Not Destroy Ireland's Beautiful Environment," it read. Groups opposed to dump locations are springing up all over Ireland right now, and this was reflected in the parade.
Grenagh/Blarney was a second Cork float with an anti-dump theme and Cork Track, which is relocating to a brand new stadium at Curraheen on April 8th, offered a giant dancing greyhound.
The gardai chose an approach that was straightforward and real. A badly crashed family saloon car, a genuine article, was carried on the back of a float, the windscreen marred by a thousand cracks.
Three beer barrels were taped to the roof and the dummy victims, the driver and passenger, were connected to them by snaking tubes.
Cork Corporation brought an environmental message with a different theme. It displayed a group of large and attractive silver fish over blue water in a float that talked of "Clean Water for Living".
The puzzle is why were the fish silver when everyone knows that one of the city's best known emblems, adorning Shandon's Steeple, is the goldie fish.
One of the most popular floats came from the City Arts Link, which produced a dazzling dancing array of aliens and creatures from space.
More traditional was the Barry's Tea version of a 20 ft St Patrick chasing a giant snake - and a pot of tea.
Stiltwalkers entertained the children as they followed the traditional route down the Grand Parade and South Mall.
There were pipe bands and brass bands. Some, like the Carrigaline Pipe Band, were home grown but here too were the Boston Gaelic Fire Brigade and Boston Police Gaelic Column pipe bands.
Looking resplendent in green was Chernobyl Children's Project founder Adi Roche, who led a large contingent of children, followed by lorries and ambulances donated to the cause of children suffering in the aftermath of a nuclear explosion.
The mild and dry day brought out a crowd of 40,000. The parade was led by an Army band and was reviewed at the Grand Parade by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, and the Lord Mayor of Cork, Mr Damian Wallace.