Lord Mayor Cllr Deirdre Forde and Oisín Robinson join together to light Cork City up for Christmas! Photo: Alison Miles/OSM PHOTO

City lights up for festive season

The city is twinkling and sparkling as the Christmas lights were switched on last night.

In the coming days, almost 7 kilometres of energy-efficient LED Christmas lights will be switched on at Opera Lane, Academy Street, Paul St, French Church Street and Carey’s Lane by Cork City Council, Cork Business Association working with traders, community associations and by independent outlets.

To kick start the city’s seasonal celebrations, Cork City Council has also installed 60 glittering Christmas trees across the city centre, suburbs, towns and villages.

The preparations for Cork’s Christmas celebration have been underway since the beginning of November with 6 Cork City Council staff members and a crew of 17 electricians undertaking the task of lighting the streets of Cork and 60 Christmas trees with over 120,000 low wattage energy efficient LED lights. The much-loved crib will also return to the Lough in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, GLOW A Cork Christmas Celebration, organised by Cork City Council, is coming back, shimmering brightly in Bishop Lucey Park, and will see the return of the 12 Days of Christmas to the park.

This magical story will be brought to life over four weekends in the run up to Christmas with the return of drummers, dancers, hoola-hoops, golden egg laying geese, splendid swans and at least one new bird, which definitely won’t fit in that pear tree!

The iconic ferris wheel will also return to Grand Parade.

Entry to the park is free. Booking is required although walk-ups will be facilitated when possible. See more and book on glowcork.ie.

GLOW’s opening hours will be from 4-8pm on:

•Friday 25 November to Sunday, 27 November

•Friday 2 December to Sunday, 4 December

•Friday 9 December to Sunday 11 December

•Friday 16 December to Sunday 18 December

Cork City Council said it is continuing its commitment to celebrating Christmas in an energy efficient manner. All lighting in Cork city is low wattage energy efficient LED lighting.

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Deirdre Forde said: “Cork is a very special place at Christmas, with choral performances, the famous 30 metre ferris wheel and illuminations in Bishop Lucey Park, there is so much to see and do this year at GLOW. I encourage everyone to explore the wonderful Christmas displays dotted around our great city and remember to support Cork businesses and shop locally this Christmas.”