Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
THE Christmas in Killarney committee has launched an urgent public funding appeal following the thousands of euro of damaged caused by Storm Barra to parade floats and the marquee that housed them as well as the negative impact the violent gusts had on the landmark Tree of Light at St Mary’s Cathedral.
The floats were housed in a heavy-duty marquee protected the high walls at Fitzgerald Stadium from where the magical Christmas parades commence every Saturday night.
But committee members were shocked to learn that Storm Barra had ripped the marquee apart and damaged a number of the painstakingly built very ornate floats which were very expensive to design and create.
In addition, some of the 4,500 feature bulbs on the Tree of Light were impacted when the 100ft Californian redwood was violently shaken repeatedly during the storm.
“There was a couple of thousand euro worth of damage to our floats and the repair work will be expensive,” committee chairman Niall Kelleher remarked.
“Christmas in Killarney was already struggling to put the festival on this year so we launched a fundraiser connected to the Tree of Light to raise much-needed funds to keep the festival and make it that bit better than before,” he added.
“This was a set-back we didn’t need and we appeal to the public to please support our fundraiser,” Mr Kelleher said.
A golden opportunity has arisen this year for people to shine their own light on the landmark tree for someone they love or anybody they wish to send a special greeting to.
The public is being invited to contribute €10 to shine a light on the three and, in return, they will receive a special gift scroll on which to include the name of those they wish to remember or thank at Christmas.
A special Mass will be offered early in the new year for the intentions of all those for whom bulbs were bought.
Bulbs can be bought and certificates downloaded online at Christmasinkillarney.com or, alternatively, they can be purchased at Sheahan’s Centra on Main Street, New Street or Muckross Road, Walsh Bros Shoes on New Street, Eagers Newsagents on High Street, Healy’s Newsagents on New Street, Who’s4Shoes on High Street or Eason on Main Street.
“There is nothing like the Tree of Light anywhere else in the country and Killarney is very lucky to have it but we must ensure it becomes a festive season fixture every year so community buy-in is essential,” the committee chairman said.
The Tree of Light project is a collaboration between a Christmas in Killarney Festival sub-committee and the Killarney Parish and it creates a dramatic focal point in the town in the lead up to and during the festive season.
The tree is fitted with lightweight, energy efficient bulbs – with over 1,500 extra added this year – and the project is all about community resilience, celebrating the fact that Killarney is such a wonderful town to live in and to visit, whatever challenges are presented in life.
The feature Californian Redwood tree, adjacent to a Famine graveyard on the church grounds, is one of the most wonderful visual features in Killarney and it will greet thousands of visitors passing the cathedral on their way to and from town during the festive season.
To donate go to https://christmasinkillarney.com/shine-your-light
