THE nativity scene at Dublin's Mansion House had only one Wise Man, and he came, not from the East, but from the West, the west of Ireland. He was a man called Donnelly, John Donnelly, president of the Irish Farmers' Association.
As for camels, there was also only one on display yesterday.
The Christmas stars were there too, in the eyes of the children who turned up for the opening of the IFA's live animal crib at the Mansion House.
The public last year donated nearly £7,000 at the crib for the Lord Mayor's Fuel Fund which provides coal over Christmas.
Observers enjoyed the banter at the expense of the poor old farmer.
"The farmers don't need to wait for Christmas to crib. They are cribbing all the time," said a passer-by.
The IFA live crib is the only one of its kind in Ireland. It is a stable erected on the forecourt of the Mansion House. In it, the IFA has placed a cow, donkeys, a goat and this year a camel which will remain there until Christmas Eve.
"It's just a bullock that got too much angel dust," said a small woman minding a flock of children who were watching the animal being unloaded from a Fossetts circus van.
"God, there's an awful smell off it," said Ciara Donnelly, daughter of Mr Donnelly.
The camel proceeded to dribble on the Lord Mayor's suit. Mr Brendan Lynch said he might sue the IFA for a new one.
As part of the formal opening ceremony, the crib was blessed by Father John Fitzpatrick of Westland Row Parish and Canon Adrian Empey of St Ann's Church, Dawson Street.
And the "Little Angels", the children of St Joseph's Nursery School, Maryland, Dublin, sang the hymns.
The crib remains open until Christmas Eve and, while admission is free, the public can make a donation to the Lord Mayor's Fund.