Children's parade undeterred by cold and lack of interest

NO PUNTERS. No President. No politicians. (No votes.) Not even the sun itself could struggle out of the clouds for the nation's children yesterday when they took to Dublin's streets, and almost nobody came.

If it hadn't been for the tourists, and the enthusiastic parents... well, Mary Widdle of Kansas City felt sorry for the participants in the 34th annual National Children's Parade. "How come so many cops?" she wondered, as she watched five gardai watching the Crumlin Community Band take up the tail from St Stephen's Green. "You got a kidnapping problem over here?"

In fact, apart from traffic, the only hazard appeared to be hypothermia. "Bring a smile to the face of a child," the parade's press release had read, but this proved to be something of a challenge.

Grim faced majorettes and shivering dancers found it hard to work up the enthusiasm for a laugh, never mind a baton twirl, at the outset. The route to Parnell Square incorporated a roadwork obstacle course.

But they soldiered on the New Ross Majorettes, the Tallaght Youth Band, the Donnach Mide Rinnceoirf, the Blackrock Rockettes, St Anne's Baton Twirlers, the Red Rosettes and many more. St Joseph's Band from Ballinasloe, Co Galway, had tracksuits, at least. Others, like the Dance Technique from Poppintree, Dublin, threw their legs and arms about to keep warm.

Co ordination was not a strong point, or a priority - proving to Ms Andrea Huber, also a visitor, from Munich, that "your country is in no danger of becoming a military power".

The one public representative, a dutiful Lord Mayor, Alderman Sean D. Dublin Bay Loftus, drew the best giggles of the day at the O'Connell Street viewing stand. The canopy had caught its fill of rainfall the night before. Every so often a bucketful spilled over in a gust of wind.

He took it in good spirit, as did many of the children who had to wait up to 15 minutes to perform.

In fact the first citizen was the highlight for Caroline Farrell (12), Sandy Butler (12), Sheree McGuinness (12), Ciara Gahan (12), Michelle Dunphy (11), Stacey Ward (9), and Natalie Ward (13), of James's Street and Basin Street - all of whom insisted that he was "a fine thing", that the march was "gear", that they be interviewed extensively, and that this reporter open her notebook and write down all their names.