19 November 2022
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie

Christmas Lights

Cork City lit up for Christmas 2022 on Thursday, as St Patrick’s Street came aglow for the Yuletide season. Along with Oliver Plunkett Street, Tuckey St, Grand parade and a number of city centre Christmas trees.

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.

Lord Mayor Cllr. Deirdre Forde, Oisín Robinson and Lorraine O’Sullivan join together to light Cork City up for Christmas! Cork City is aglow as almost 7 kilometres of energy efficient LED Christmas lights have been switched on throughout the city. 
Picture: Alison Miles /OSM PHOTO

GLOW

Meanwhile, GLOW A Cork Christmas Celebration (previoulsy kown as GLOW Cork), 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 4pm to 8pm on:

• Friday, 25th November to Sunday, 27th November
• Friday, 2nd December to Sunday, 4th December
• Friday 9th December to Sunday 11th December
• Friday 16th December to Sunday 18th December

Cork City Council 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.”

Lord Mayor’s Gala Christmas Concert

Meanwhile, City Hall will be filled to the rafters on Saturday 3rd December with The Lord Mayor’s Gala Christmas Concert, featuring Majella Cullagh, Karen Underwood and Ryan Morgan, with Cork Concert Orchestra conducted by Tom Crowley, Cór Cois Abhann, and The Montfort College of Performing Arts. Celebrating its 60th year, this festive event marks the start of Cork’s Christmas social calendar for hundreds of loyal attendees who return each year.

Tickets are selling fast, so call to ProMusica on Oliver Plunkett Street of visit www.everymancork.com.