Santa's house in Glasson brings festive cheer

Mike Irwin jokes that he wouldn't have a clue how many bulbs are contained in his massive Christmas lights display at Kilfaughney, Glasson,but it takes over a week to put them up! Christmas preparations begin in early autumn every year for what local children now simply call Santa's house, as he gathers and replaces the colourful lights needed for his vast array of festive figures, and by early November, after spending a day sorting them out he gets to work to put them up all over the house and garden. "Anything that stands still I put lights on it," Mike laughs this week in the wake of Santa's visit on his sleigh to Kilfaughney on Saturday last to officially switch on the Christmas lights this year, an event which drew a large crowd of local children to enjoy the proceedings and receive some festive gifts. For the fourth year running, a collection box will left in the garden for anyone who wants to contribute a donation with all money raised going once again to Athlone Hospice. Mike says he was prompted to do the fundraising for the charity after seeing the kindness of a hospice member who visited a neighbour who was dying from cancer sometime ago, and he is very thankful to everyone who gives anything at all towards the cause. "I get an awful lot of people from all the neighbouring parishes like Tang, Drumraney and even Moate, coming to see them. I was surprised how it took off," Mike enthused of his collection that also includes a fully lit crib in the garden on the Muckanagh Road, all of which he says lifts the spirits of young and old when they come to view them. But what about the electricity bill come January? Well, Mike is pretty philosophical about it all. "It has to be paid and I'd have the lights up anyhow," he states, adding that it cost around €680 last year for the few months, more than usual because of the bad weather but generally it's between €400 or €500, still over double the usual bill. However, Mike stressed that he would have the lights anyhow and it's good to raise some money for Athlone Hospice at the same time. He concluded by saying anyone who wants to sponsor any of the lights for next year would be most welcome as many of them have to be replaced on an ongoing basis.