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This year it's not just Panto time in the theatre. An evocative recap of the history of panto in Dublin is on display in Pearse Street Library and Archive.
There's something here for all children, young and old. And for us oldies, it's great to see the familiar faces of all those actors who gave us such pleasure when we were (hopefully) growing up.
I didn't make the opening of this exhibition but my first question online to Conor Doyle, Jimmy O'Dea's nephew, was Have they included Geamaireachtaí na Nollag in Amharclann na Mainistreach?.
The answer came flying back, not only from Conor but from the organisers as well, Of course they did!.
When I finally got in to see the exhibition and check it out, I found they had not only mentioned the Irish language pantos, but had given them generous proportionate coverage.
It appears that these pantos ran from the mid 1940s to the mid 1960s. My experience of them would have been in the late 1950s through the early 1960s, and I had presumed they had been there since time immemorial and would continue for ever. I never realised until now that the window had been so small.
They were really a hoot. The actors let down their hair and adlibbed madly through a vaguely defined script. Each afternoon & night show was adapted to sections of the audience. School pupils came in their class loads and revelled in their teachers being pilloried from the stage, often in very personal and specific terms.
Sadly when Abbey actors were no longer required to have proficiency in Irish, the Geamaireachtaí died out.
The programme above is from the first Irish panto. I recognise the names of Siobhán McKenna (who went on to national and international fame), Máire Ní Dhomhnaill (whom I remember as an onstage dynamo) and Mícheál Ó Briain (who was still there in my day).
But that's enough of th'oul Irish for now.
Conor Doyle has assembled an extensive archive on the Theatre Royal. This is his father, Noel, and his auntie Ursula, Noel's sister.
Dublin City Archive has an extensive Theatre Archive with copious material from all of Dublin's theatres and from which today's exhibition is sourced.
Ursula acted and sang, and married Jimmy O'Dea who was known and loved by more than one generation of Irish children.
Photo: courtesy DCLA
Here's Conor with dad, Noel, and auntie Ursula at the opening of the exhibition.
I think finding the Mother Gooses was probably intended for the children, but find me the adult who could resist it. I only found eight, not counting this one and the big one off screen to the right.
So, on reflection, maybe I did OK.
The Queen's Theatre in Pearse St. became the Abbey between 1951 when the original Abbey burned down and 1966 when the new Abbey opened. To me, this building was the Abbey throughout my school years.
But up to this period it was a separate theatre in its own right concentrating on melodrama and various other forms, including panto.
There is also a panel of famous face where I liked two in particular.
Welshman, Cecil Nash, who was once a neighbour in Ballybrack.
And Brendan Grace who never failed to make me laugh (even if he didn't read his own autobiography).
Also glad to see the cartoon genre getting some recognition.
Jack used to be resident in Butlin's holiday camp during the summer months with a show that was Persil clean and suitable for all ages.
Seeing Noel without his beard makes him look like an imposter.
There are also some glass case exhibits with programmes, a full size costume and this lovely mask.
And finally,
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