Miriam Lord: No big showy balls in sight as Leinster Lawn lights up for Christmas

The two Rural Independents scanned the shadows around Leinster Lawn but couldn’t spot any of Green Party leader Eamon Ryan’s troops out on Christmas patrol. Had they looked hard enough they might have spotted the Green TD for Limerick City, Brian Leddin, in the small crowd, but he kept a low profile.

The Tánaiste, on the other hand, was due to make a speech on the centenary of the creation of the Irish Free State at a venue in nearby Merrion Square an hour after the activation of the illuminations. Perhaps he wants to maintain a low profile in advance of his elevation in two weeks’ time. This year there were wonderful performances from the hardy gentlemen of Portmarnock’s SeaSharps barbershop singers and the exuberantly melodious players from the Rathfarnham Ukulele Group .

Fair play to Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall, co-leaders of the Social Democratics, for gracing the occasion. They kept out of the limelight, though, leaving Mattie to rock up beside the Ceann Comhairle and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and take the bare look off the proceedings. Meanwhile, after two years, we could call Seán Ó Fearghaíl “An Crann Comhairle” again. Catherine Connolly, the Leas-Crann, was also in attendance.

“And I want to remember as well those sleeping on our streets and sleeping rough throughout this city and throughout the country. High numbers, unacceptably high numbers,” he noted, while recognising the work done by NGOs and authorities “moving heaven and earth to guarantee that there is accommodation available for them this Christmas”.

Is it illegal to say Christmas tree now?

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