Reindeer arrive in town with biggest leaves in Wexford

AS GOREY district councillors held their December meeting last Tuesday afternoon, council official Liz Stanley announced the good news that the town’s long-awaited reindeer crossing Christmas lights would be installed that evening.

‘We were never advised there was a five-week delay,’ she told the meeting. ‘We were told week after week we were getting them next week. We would have liked them for the Big Switch On, but we got them by the skin of our teeth.’

She said the Big Switch On went very well, and hopefully it will be bigger and better next year.

Cllr Mary Farrell was particularly complimentary about the area set aside for those with particular needs, and said it was used to capacity. ‘It made them feel so part of it,’ she said.

Ms Stanley said the business community and the Christmas lights committee had been so supportive.

Cllr Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin called it an excellent event. He felt, however, some trees don’t have enough lights. ‘Part of the problem is the trees,’ said Ms Stanley. ‘Some are great on one side but not on the other.’ She added they are getting an excellent service in maintaining them but there are problems with lorries illegally parking on footpaths and catching the end of them. They will also look at frames in the trees next year to make the lights more uniform. Cllr Anthony Donohoe said the lights ‘ look excellent’ but was unhappy at the ‘name calling’ that went on on Facebook against the supplier when the lights were delayed. He was told the council had passed on the concerns of the committee, but didn’t engage in name calling, and can’t control comments from the public. Cllr Malcolm Byrne said the crowd on Main Street was probably the biggest crowd since the 1996 All Ireland homecoming. He also praised the location of the bandstand for the event. Cllr Robbie Ireton congratulated all involved and pointed out Gorey is the second biggest town in the county. ‘With the biggest leaves,’ quipped Cllr Byrne. Cllr Ireton replied: ‘We have big leaves. I love the trees, but I don’t like the leaves on them.’