BY KIERAN O'MAHONY
CLONAKILTY will look particularly dazzling this Christmas with new lights set to decorate the streets after some of the town’s biggest employers stepped in to make up a shortfall in funds.
Local Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan, a member of the organising committee, had high praise for the local business community and the Chamber and Cork County Council for their contributions, but they were left with a shortfall to make up.
'We owe a great deal of gratitude to the business community in particular in this town, many of them have donated incredibly generously to this initiative. After contributions from Cork County Council and the Chamber of Commerce we were left with a shortfall of €12,000 to purchase and install the new lights. After just 24 hours of phone calls, we almost had the full amount raised from some of the local businesses.'
Padraig O’Reilly, another member of the committee said the generosity in Clonakilty never ceases to amaze him. 'As a community, quite often we have to go cap in hand to get things done in this town and the businesses always come up trumps.'
‘However,' he added, 'the generosity of this town always blows me away. One day of phone calls to some of Clonakilty’s biggest employers and we are nearly there,’ he posted online.
He thanked Shannovale Foods, the Clonakilty Park Hotel, Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa, Irish Yogurts, Clóna Dairy Products, Clonakilty Blackpudding, Global Shares, Lidl, Hegarty Lighting and Cronin Electrical for their contributions.
Deputy O’Sullivan said that ‘nothing beats the Clonakilty community spirit’ and asked the people of the town to be patient as this is just the first year of the new lights, and they will add to it each year.
His call-out to the community to also help erect a tree at the wheel pump, complete with lights, was also answered with someone agreeing to help make it happen.
Last year, Cork County Council was criticised for not contributing to the erection of the Christmas lights in the town, but Clon Chamber, together with other businesses, paid for the lights to be put up and taken down. While they did receive a grant of €10,000 from the Council they felt this wasn’t enough as they had to spend thousands of euro replacing bulbs.
For decades, Cork County Council had taken care of the town's Christmas lights, but in recent years the arrangement ceased. So the local community have taken it upon themselves to bring the festive feel back to the town. Cork South West TD Christopher O’Sullivan a member of the organising committee said that the official turning-on of the lights will take place this Sunday, November 26th, starting with the Clonakilty Brass Band at 4pm, followed by the arrival of Santa Claus and the fantastic Kilmeen Elf Parade at 5.30pm to officially turn on the lights.
