There were builders armed with sticks and shields ready to do battle for their employer. There was a showbiz "president" trying to cope with a deadly parasite - and when "Crypto the Monster" escaped from his cage in Galway yesterday, there wasn't a health official in sight.
There were plenty of dotty directors, photographers, producers, media types and "doom merchants" (aka journalists) to record the mayhem, however, as the Macnas street theatre company presented its parody of 21st-century Ireland for this year's Galway Arts Festival.
"How do we ensure this never happens again?" Mr president asked his army chief, as he perused a comic book and his staff boogied to Joe Jackson's Jumping Jive. "Why, brainwash everyone!" the army chief replied, with a grin.
The furry monster - a one-eyed, three-tentacled "ninth wonder of the world" - was the property of Mr Big, a tycoon who dispensed hundreds of bank notes as he was wheeled though the streets. His entourage included dozens of industrial "slaves" and standard bearers, all working night and day for Acme Construction.
Some 250 performers included everyone from Superman to "spoilt brats" to synchronised swans and cygnets - with circus performers, firemen, yellow cab drivers, a bearded lady and a fir bolg somewhere in between.
One or two gangly herons bearing bulrushes and chasing fish in the "river" scene came a cropper at the top of Eyre Square, but the stilt-walker wasn't seriously hurt.
Fortunately, the daily rain showers held off, and several umbrellas were being employed as sunshades among an estimated 80,000 people in attendance. The festival's street theatre programme has suffered, with heavy rain forcing the cancellation of the Dutch Close-Act company's Saurus on Saturday afternoon.
This year's anniversary parade was directed by Rachael Devir and designed by Gavin Morgan. The elaborate costumes were the work of a team under Triona Lillis.
The Macnas theatre troupe, which had almost abandoned plans for a parade during this year's arts festival due to funding issues, intends to return at Hallowe'en for a celebration on the theme of the "seven deadly sins".
An exhibition charting the company's 21 years is due to be held in October, and it is publishing a commemorative book. The Galway Arts Festival will go on all this week until Sunday, July 29th.
Meanwhile, a disruption to Galway water supplies continued, due to an electrical fault at the Luimnagh treatment plant. Parts of Athenry and Oranmore and the Bushypark area in the city were most seriously affected.
