Christmas events in Clonmel cost Tipperary County Council more than €27,000

Over the past two to three years, Clonmel Borough District says it has provided capital investment of €43,687 for new Christmas lighting features in the town; and financial assistance of €10,000-€12,000 per year for Christmas lighting and various other Christmas initiatives each year, costing in the region of €27,550.

Annually, this amounts to approximately €59,393.

District Administrator Carol Creighton says “the council will continue (within its budget) to deliver on its various activities for the Christmas period in 2022”.

“Unfortunately, without the Christmas contribution from the traders, it will not be possible to put up the extensive lights of previous years but there will be plenty of activities for all to still enjoy this Christmas season.”

She says that if any group has an interest in supporting the council with its work, it would be delighted to hear from them before this Friday, November 18.

Initiatives in the town totalling €27,550 include Santa’s Parade, including the band, stage, MC, Santa, the elves, costumes, hand-outs and lighting; the decoration of the street/artist benches and taking in/out the sleigh;and the Tesco festival roundabout (labour, health and safety and decoration), South Tipperary Art Group (STAG) and council staff.

They include the potted seven-feet high Christmas trees throughout the town (at the churches, post office and the Mary stone Mall; the lighting up of the West Gate windows for the Christmas period (including the hire of light units); and the Greenscreen – family Christmas photos (winter scenes) for three weekends in December.

They also include the wrapping of the trees in blue lights in O’Connell Street, Gladstone Street and Parnell Street; marketing/video of Santa in Clonmel on Facebook/posters; ten various shop windows dressed and decorated for the Family Treasure Hunt; the Win Wednesday campaign, run in previous years, in which 59 shops participated, with €50 vouchers up for grabs; and the library contribution towards the storytelling night, with hot chocolate and the family trail.

In addition there's the museum workshops contribution, including craft /decorations where there is a lot of interest; and the best dressed shop windows - €100 /shop window entry.

Carol Creighton says it should be noted that it is not the Borough District that manages, collects funds from the traders, hires an electrician to erect/dismantle or turn on the Christmas lights in Clonmel.

“This responsibility has been with the traders in Clonmel, known as CLIC (Christmas Lights In Clonmel) group since as far back as I can recall. The District contribution towards the Christmas lights has been the standard €6,000 for the past number of years.

"To bridge the gap when the traders have fallen short of money following their collections from businesses, the council have stepped in and have often paid out an additional €4,000 - €6,000 to cover the bills, on top of the €6,000 contribution.”

Ms Creighton said the Borough District had concentrated on adding value to the traders’ Christmas lights by setting up initiatives that are festival/event-related and that attract additional footfall into the town, so that the value to the traders is maximised, while the traders in the past have largely managed the Christmas lights, including the turning on of the lights.