*Cathy Keane Bridges and her eleven month old grandson, Bobby Leahy in Shannon. Photograph: Joe Buckley
SWITCHING on of the Christmas lights in Shannon Town Park is to become an annual event.
This year’s turning on of the lights ceremony will be held in the Town Park on December 4th. On Tuesday night, huge crowds gathered at the Shannon Springs Hotel for the official lighting of their Christmas tree.
In a proposal before the Shannon Municipal District, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) said, “although the last few years we have had a successful night in the park with Santa, music and sweets, I am requesting that we have an official turning on of the lights ceremony that will be an annual ceremony”.
Acting senior executive officer in the Shannon MD, Anne Griffin encouraged the public to attend the lights ceremony in the Town Park on December 4th. She stated, “the popularity of the Santa event in the Town Park has grown over the years and it is anticipated that the enhanced 2023 switching on of the lights will create a unique and magical experience for families in the Shannon area. It is the intention that this will be an annual event hereafter”.
Speaking on Tuesday, Cllr McGettigan commented, “this will be a positive for Shannon. I don’t think we’ve ever had an official turning on of the lights in Shannon before”. Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) interjected, “we often did” and added, “it used to be done years ago and it died by the wayside”.
Support was voiced by Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) and Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) who said, “I was there last year and it was a very positive experience”.
