The decision has been taken by organisers to cancel the annual Wren's Day gathering in Dingle on 26 December.
It is the first time in living memory that the event, which has pre-Christian roots, will not take place in the West Kerry town.
Ní rachaidh Lá an Dreoilín chun cinn sa Daingean i mbliana den chéad uair le cuimhne na ndaoine. pic.twitter.com/iKrLmeYwUb
— NuachtTG4 (@NuachtTG4) December 23, 2020
"I guess something we are particularly proud of in Dingle is that we have an unbroken tradition, going a long way back," Dr Aoife Granville of the Sráid Eoin Wren explained.
"I think I'm probably going to have to dress up in some way, or just play a tune on the street, in honour of all those who kept the traditional alive over the years."
There are four main Wrens in Dingle - the Green & Gold, Sráid Eoin, Goat's Street and the Quay.
Organisers had originally intended to stage a scaled back, socially distant event, in full compliance with Covid-19 regulations, but the rise in cases in recent days has led to the event being cancelled entirely.
"It was timed so that nobody would meet, but with the rise in cases recently it's been abandoned amid safety concerns so as not to draw a crowd out onto the streets," said Vincent Manning of the Goat Street Wren.
Charities will also suffer; the main Wren event in Dingle town would usually raise in the region of €10,000 for various causes.
There's no doubt the Wren in Dingle will rise again - but only when it's safe to do so.
