Christmas traditions tend to evolve as children get older, but a staple of many families’ preparations in the lead up to the big day involves a trip to see Christmas lights.
While teenagers are programmed to be too cool to revisit most things from their younger years, such affectations disappear as they cling to the magic of this time of year.
In our house, the annual pilgrimage across the Galway/Roscommon border will require a rerouting, as the gargantuan lighting display at a Cloonfad home has been paired back. No one can blame Seamus Staunton for taking a break after raising thousands of euros over the past two decades for Cancer Care West, in memory of both his wife and daughter whom he lost to the disease.
His efforts were a highlight for my family, whose wonder at the illuminated spectacle across Seamus’ garden and home never dimmed, no matter how old they’ve become. The scene was visible from the approach roads to Cloonfad, such was the size and magnitude of the display, and with a Christmas playlist adding to the festive ambience in the car, it has been a tradition we’ve all been happy to uphold.
While Seamus is taking a break, we have cast our net a little wider, in search of an equally festive Christmas treat. We don’t have much further to go as it happens, as over a different county border, brothers Kevin and Brendan Hughes have been lighting up the skies of Co Mayo and raising funds for local charities, for the past 20 years.
Worthwhile causes
Coolegrane Lights stretch for 1.3km along a country road on the outskirts of Foxford and have become a highlight for families throughout the west and northwest region.
Kevin tells Irish Country Living that what started out as an extension of his own effort to decorate his home has grown to become a huge local event.
“I would have put up lights every year and then back in 2006, some of the neighbours suggested we raise money because the house looked so impressive,” he says.
“That first year we raised just over €600 which we donated to our local church, Callow Church. Last year, we passed the €10,000 mark so it’s great to be able to support so many worthwhile causes.
“We pick one charity each year and this year all proceeds will go to Down Syndrome Mayo, so we’re hoping to continue the good work from last year. We’ve given money to many causes over the years, from Roscommon Hospice to MS Ireland and we’re very proud that we’ve been able to help so many worthy causes.”
The Hughes brothers’ Coolegrane Christmas Lights have been lighting up the Mayo countryside for over two decades, drawing families from near and far each year.. Pic:Michael McLaughlin
Kevin and Brendan assemble and install their display at the start of November and this year they were joined by local country music star John McNicholl from Knock who was guest of honour at this year’s switch on ceremony, held last Saturday 6 December.
“We leave the lights on until 7 January so it’s a lovely thing for families to do whether it’s in the run up to Christmas or the days after,” adds Kevin.
Deirdre O’Malley of Down Syndrome Ireland Mayo branch said the money raised for the charity will make a big difference to a great many families throughout the county.
“Kevin and Brendan put in a huge amount of work with their display every year and their donation will be put towards providing vital services, mainly speech and language therapies (SLT) for our members,” she explains.
“We have 140 registered members, who we will be able to provide subsidies for SLT, which is so hard to find and pay for.
“We are very grateful to Kevin for choosing us as beneficiaries from this year’s Coolegrane Lights.”
Limerick lights
Down in Co Limerick, another family are making Christmas count for local causes with their annual festive lights display in Templeglantine. Tony Noonan first got the idea to install a Christmas lights display at his home back in 1997.
“We were one of the first in Ireland to do it and we must be doing something right as we’ve won Ireland’s Most Christmassey Home three times. We’ve built up our collection over the years but we started out with a fairly simple display with lights on the house and an outdoor crib. We put donation buckets at the crib and at the gate and it’s grown from there.”
Deirdre Malley of the Mayo Down Syndrome Association, from Louisburgh, and Paige Gilney from Foxford pictured at the Coolegrane Christmas Lights in aid of Down Syndrome Mayo.. Pic:Michael McLaughlin
Tony and his family have raised over €500,000 for a host of charities over the past 28 years, throughout Limerick, Cork and Kerry. Four more charities will benefit this year.
“We’ve had thousands of people come to our house down through the years. Before COVID some of them even came in for a cup of tea. Safety is paramount and the fact we’re located off the main road is a help with that. This year we’re supporting Milford Hospice in Limerick, Slí Eile Mental Health Services North Cork, Recovery Haven, Tralee (Kerry Cancer Support) and Dromcollogher 26, the group working to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the cinema disaster that claimed 48 lives.
“I have seen how this money is helping these charities. I’ve been invited in to the Milford centre to see the beds that were bought from our donation and we’ve also been able to pay for home heating oil for them so it’s practical help that’s making a difference.”
Tony has spent the past three months preparing his lights and garden for this year’s event which kicked off on Sunday 30 November when All-Ireland winning four-in-a-row Limerick hurling goalie Nicky Quaid was the guest of honour.
Around the country
Slattery’s family home in Kilworth, Co Cork have their very own homemade Coca Cola truck as the centrepiece of their stunning Christmas lights display.
Homeowner Shane Slattery has been going to tremendous lengths each year to transform his house which he uses to raise funds for local charities, with this year’s beneficiary, Cork Mental Health Foundation. The voluntary group supports those experiencing mental health difficulties through a range of community and educational projects, as well as providing high-quality housing.
In Kerry, the Purcell family in Killarney have returned with their annual Christmas charity lights display which has become a highlight of the town’s festive celebrations.
Supporting Recovery Haven and Killorglin Hospice, the display has been raising funds for the past 18 years.
The lights will be illuminated nightly from 5.30pm to 9.30pm at Joden House, Sunhill, Killorglin, until 6 January.
Looking to Tuam, Co Galway, May Gibsey has been lighting up the front garden of her home for many years, raising funds for Croí Heart and Stroke charity.
The modest bungalow on the Galway Road, just off the M17 motorway coming into the town, is transformed into a winter wonderland every December with children of all ages fascinated by the colourful reminder of the magic of the festive season.
May Gibsey’s home in Tuam, Co Galway is transformed every December into a wonderland, as she raises funds for Croí Heart & Stroke Charity.
Christmas traditions tend to evolve as children get older, but a staple of many families’ preparations in the lead up to the big day involves a trip to see Christmas lights.
While teenagers are programmed to be too cool to revisit most things from their younger years, such affectations disappear as they cling to the magic of this time of year.
In our house, the annual pilgrimage across the Galway/Roscommon border will require a rerouting, as the gargantuan lighting display at a Cloonfad home has been paired back. No one can blame Seamus Staunton for taking a break after raising thousands of euros over the past two decades for Cancer Care West, in memory of both his wife and daughter whom he lost to the disease.
His efforts were a highlight for my family, whose wonder at the illuminated spectacle across Seamus’ garden and home never dimmed, no matter how old they’ve become. The scene was visible from the approach roads to Cloonfad, such was the size and magnitude of the display, and with a Christmas playlist adding to the festive ambience in the car, it has been a tradition we’ve all been happy to uphold.
While Seamus is taking a break, we have cast our net a little wider, in search of an equally festive Christmas treat. We don’t have much further to go as it happens, as over a different county border, brothers Kevin and Brendan Hughes have been lighting up the skies of Co Mayo and raising funds for local charities, for the past 20 years.
Worthwhile causes
Coolegrane Lights stretch for 1.3km along a country road on the outskirts of Foxford and have become a highlight for families throughout the west and northwest region.
Kevin tells Irish Country Living that what started out as an extension of his own effort to decorate his home has grown to become a huge local event.
“I would have put up lights every year and then back in 2006, some of the neighbours suggested we raise money because the house looked so impressive,” he says.
“That first year we raised just over €600 which we donated to our local church, Callow Church. Last year, we passed the €10,000 mark so it’s great to be able to support so many worthwhile causes.
“We pick one charity each year and this year all proceeds will go to Down Syndrome Mayo, so we’re hoping to continue the good work from last year. We’ve given money to many causes over the years, from Roscommon Hospice to MS Ireland and we’re very proud that we’ve been able to help so many worthy causes.”
The Hughes brothers’ Coolegrane Christmas Lights have been lighting up the Mayo countryside for over two decades, drawing families from near and far each year.. Pic:Michael McLaughlin
Kevin and Brendan assemble and install their display at the start of November and this year they were joined by local country music star John McNicholl from Knock who was guest of honour at this year’s switch on ceremony, held last Saturday 6 December.
“We leave the lights on until 7 January so it’s a lovely thing for families to do whether it’s in the run up to Christmas or the days after,” adds Kevin.
Deirdre O’Malley of Down Syndrome Ireland Mayo branch said the money raised for the charity will make a big difference to a great many families throughout the county.
“Kevin and Brendan put in a huge amount of work with their display every year and their donation will be put towards providing vital services, mainly speech and language therapies (SLT) for our members,” she explains.
“We have 140 registered members, who we will be able to provide subsidies for SLT, which is so hard to find and pay for.
“We are very grateful to Kevin for choosing us as beneficiaries from this year’s Coolegrane Lights.”
Limerick lights
Down in Co Limerick, another family are making Christmas count for local causes with their annual festive lights display in Templeglantine. Tony Noonan first got the idea to install a Christmas lights display at his home back in 1997.
“We were one of the first in Ireland to do it and we must be doing something right as we’ve won Ireland’s Most Christmassey Home three times. We’ve built up our collection over the years but we started out with a fairly simple display with lights on the house and an outdoor crib. We put donation buckets at the crib and at the gate and it’s grown from there.”
Deirdre Malley of the Mayo Down Syndrome Association, from Louisburgh, and Paige Gilney from Foxford pictured at the Coolegrane Christmas Lights in aid of Down Syndrome Mayo.. Pic:Michael McLaughlin
Tony and his family have raised over €500,000 for a host of charities over the past 28 years, throughout Limerick, Cork and Kerry. Four more charities will benefit this year.
“We’ve had thousands of people come to our house down through the years. Before COVID some of them even came in for a cup of tea. Safety is paramount and the fact we’re located off the main road is a help with that. This year we’re supporting Milford Hospice in Limerick, Slí Eile Mental Health Services North Cork, Recovery Haven, Tralee (Kerry Cancer Support) and Dromcollogher 26, the group working to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the cinema disaster that claimed 48 lives.
“I have seen how this money is helping these charities. I’ve been invited in to the Milford centre to see the beds that were bought from our donation and we’ve also been able to pay for home heating oil for them so it’s practical help that’s making a difference.”
Tony has spent the past three months preparing his lights and garden for this year’s event which kicked off on Sunday 30 November when All-Ireland winning four-in-a-row Limerick hurling goalie Nicky Quaid was the guest of honour.
Around the country
Slattery’s family home in Kilworth, Co Cork have their very own homemade Coca Cola truck as the centrepiece of their stunning Christmas lights display.
Homeowner Shane Slattery has been going to tremendous lengths each year to transform his house which he uses to raise funds for local charities, with this year’s beneficiary, Cork Mental Health Foundation. The voluntary group supports those experiencing mental health difficulties through a range of community and educational projects, as well as providing high-quality housing.
In Kerry, the Purcell family in Killarney have returned with their annual Christmas charity lights display which has become a highlight of the town’s festive celebrations.
Supporting Recovery Haven and Killorglin Hospice, the display has been raising funds for the past 18 years.
The lights will be illuminated nightly from 5.30pm to 9.30pm at Joden House, Sunhill, Killorglin, until 6 January.
Looking to Tuam, Co Galway, May Gibsey has been lighting up the front garden of her home for many years, raising funds for Croí Heart and Stroke charity.
The modest bungalow on the Galway Road, just off the M17 motorway coming into the town, is transformed into a winter wonderland every December with children of all ages fascinated by the colourful reminder of the magic of the festive season.
May Gibsey’s home in Tuam, Co Galway is transformed every December into a wonderland, as she raises funds for Croí Heart & Stroke Charity.
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