Locals and visitors from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand were among the boisterous crowds who took part in the annual St Stephen’s Day celebrations at Ireland’s largest annual Wren Day event in Dingle yesterday.

About 3,000 townsfolk along with visitors and emigrants returning home from America, Spain, Australia and New Zealand for Christmas thronged the west Kerry town for the traditional celebration.

Legendary RTÉ Gaelic games commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh was among the participants who donned the traditional straw hats and costumes that local farmers, fishermen and other volunteers have been crafting for weeks ahead of the big day.

It’s a tradition the spry 89-year-old has taken part in since he was a boy growing up in his home village of Dún Síon in the 1940s.

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“You had to wear a false face, maybe homemade with cardboard, that wouldn’t melt in the rain,” he told the Irish Independent ahead of this year’s event.

While the morning started off dry as four competing groups – the Green and Gold Wren, Quay Wren, Goat Street Wren and the Sráid Eoin Wren – made their way through the town, rain moved in by early afternoon.

But that didn’t deter celebrants from rejoicing in the explosion of colourful costumes, singing and traditional tin whistles, drums and accordions as the Wren boys – representing the four streets of the town – wound their way through the town, popping into the town’s welcoming pubs en route as they announced the arrival of the wren or ‘wran’ – the so-called ‘king of birds’ – and raised money for various charities.

The tradition, which is believed to pre-date Christianity and have pagan origins, is part of an ancient festival celebrating the winter solstice around Ireland.

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