It’s the highlight of a Cork Halloween.

But as the cost of living soars, it seems even otherworldly creatures like the Dragon of Shandon are feeling the pinch.

Fans of the famous 36ft parade mascot, which winds its way from the Firkin Crane right down Shandon Street and through the city every Halloween night, have been asked to dig deep and give what they can to help keep the spectacle going for years to come.

Cork Community Art Link, the group behind the unique event, has started a GoFundMe campaign aimed at raising €6,000 to help them cover everything from materials to costumes, equipment, and safety staff.

“Our community outreach and open door policy programmes mean that each year, hundreds of participants benefit from learning skills in prop making, float construction, mask and costume creation, drama and theatre, dance, community engagement as well as project development… all the while having fun and being part of one of Cork’s largest community participative event of the year.” the group explained.

“With the growing demand for group participation and our ethos to try and keep providing as many free workshops for the community as we can, CCAL needs the public’s support now more than ever to continue bringing this one-of-a-kind community-driven event to the streets of Cork to the benefit of all.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child, and it does… and to raise a dragon, an entire city!”

You can make a donation to help raise the Dragon of Shandon on GoFundMe here.