‘Let there be lights’ this Christmas

After reports last week of mounting struggles to foot the bill, businesses and local benefactors have clubbed together to ensure Cavan Town will indeed be brightly lit, thus saving Christmas for the many who visit to see the festive illuminations.

This shining example of true goodwill puts to bed any fears the county town might face being left in the dark this coming Yuletide season.

Due to mounting costs, both in terms of erecting the lights and covering their insurance, as well as rising electricity rates, the town’s Christmas Lights Committee figured they would only be able to light the traditional tree and Market Square area.

The Committee is close to €8,000 in the black due to paying to light the town “and bring some cheer” last year post Covid, despite lower subscriptions.

There is a further €12,000 worth of repairs to centre piece fixtures currently in storage, “things didn’t look great going into last weekend,” admits businessman John Smith.

The Committee, made up primarily of local traders, came together on numerous occasions in recent months to try and find a solution, and had also approached Cavan County Council. The local authority had, in 2020, helped source “substantial” Leader funding for new lighting.

“What happened last year is we had a significant shortfall, because we had repairs, and we had to pay to put lights up and take them down,” explains John. That alone cost €12,000 last year without factoring in any additional costs.

But after word spread on the grapevine, “sizable” and “generous” donations were forthcoming from businesspeople like Noel Eliott, Jim Elliott, Elliott Group, Brendan Cosgrove, Paddy Keaveney of KBG Accountants, and Cavan Credit Union.

Cavan Town Team, which currently stores the lights on local authority property, is meanwhile now ‘working with the businesses’ of the town, according to a council spokesperson, to determine the ‘appropriate scale of lighting’ taking account ‘the current energy crisis and increased cost of same’.

What it means is that the town’s Christmas Lights Committee is back on an even keel, further encouraged by approaches from other businesses in the environs of Cavan Town also offering to illuminate the cause.

It's now hoped that, in addition to Market Square, many of the side streets will also be lit.

Cavan Community Garda and the county’s Little Blue Heroes will be on hand to switch on Cavan Town’s lights when the appointed date in announced.

They will also be in place for when the traditional Cavan Town Christmas Market on December 3-4.

“I’m sure it's the same in every town in Ireland right now, but thankfully this has become one of those good news stories,” concludes John. “[These businesses] want to see the town lit up for their employees and the families with children and visitors who come to Cavan over the Christmas and enjoy the festive feel.”