Insurance costs and Covid-19 restrictions mean there are fewer ice-skating rinks around the country as the Christmas season gears up.
Fewer operators are taking on the financial risk of running a rink, with Blanchardstown in Dublin one of the only towns on ice this year as most counties had to forego their usual Christmas skating rink.
The Alpine Skate Trail in Fota Island in Cork is also open to the public for the first time. Mullingar in Co Westmeath had an ice rink in 2018 and 2019 and attracted 40,000 visitors each time it was open.
President of Mullingar Chamber John Geoghegan said the rink brought new life into the town. "It breaks our hearts this year that it's getting canned.