Macnas made a welcome return to the sodden streets of Dublin last night for their first Halloween parade in the city in four years. It was great to see them back again, conjuring up the ancient spirits of our past, as only they can.

The parade was based on the tale of La Loba, a wild Wolf-Woman who collects and preserves the bones of animals, humans and gods that are in danger of being lost or forgotten to the world, and sings them back to life by moonlight.