FITTING TRIBUTE
Tony remembers his late wife Mary as Drinagh house named ‘Ireland’s Most Christmassy Home’
THE WINNER of a national competition for Ireland’s ‘Most Christmassy Home’ has described the award as a fitting tribute to his late wife.
Tony Fitzpatrick, from Drinagh, is famous for the annual Christmas lighting display at his home, which draws crowds from far and near. However, with the sad passing of his wife Mary earlier this year, Tony almost decided against creating the iconic display. But, with some encouragement from his children, and from Mary in the weeks before her passing, he decided not to break the tradition that he and his beloved wife had started over 20 years ago.
He received word on Friday morning that his house had won the Energia Ireland ‘Most Christmassy Home’ award, after garnering nearly 4,000 votes - almost 20% of all votes cast.
FOR OVER 20 years, Tony Fitzpatrick has created a physical and visual embodiment of the magic of Christmas in his garden in Drinagh and, this year, it has been voted as Energia Ireland’s ‘Most Christmassy Home 2017’.
Over 20,000 votes were cast in just five days for the 20 houses around Ireland that were shortlisted by Energia but 3,475 was the magic number for Tony who will receive €3,000 for his charity of choice.
Tony (65), whose background is in carpentry and window fitting, started out with just one light for his own kids - a reindeer - and said that people came from all around to see that at the time because it was an unusual sight. Since then, the display has grown year-on-year with Tony adding new lights every year.
However, the sad passing of his wife Mary, just nine months ago almost resulted in Tony deciding against the iconic display this year.
‘Mary and I started the lights over 20 years ago. She did inside the house and I did outside maybe it was to get me out of her way! I wasn’t going to do it this year without her, my heart wasn’t in it. But my kids encouraged me and Mary herself, in her last few weeks, told me I should do it. Winning it is a nice tribute to her.’
The house has been lit up since December 1 and Tony says that, year-after-year, families
“In her last few weeks Mary told me I should do it. The win is a nice tribute to her”
arrive to enjoy the spectacle, with kids’ eyes lighting up the minute they see the display. The erection of the lights takes about six weeks before the switching-on date and months of work prior to that to ensure all of the lights are functioning properly.
‘If a bulb goes in the string, it could take out a metre or two so it’s a matter of removing that and reconnecting the wiring. I originally started doing the lights for my kids. Now they’ve grown up and have kids of their own. They all help out with putting them up.’
This year, Tony’s daughter saw a notice about the Energia Ireland competition and persuaded her father to take part. They took pictures of the house and sent them in. Energia shortlisted the house and the voting began in earnest. With just a day to the closing date of December 15, Tony’s house was leading the competition with over 3,000 votes and plenty of complimentary comments from visitors to it.
Every year, Tony donates any funds raised to local charities and, this year, he has chosen Wexford Hospice Homecare as a beneficiary, on account of the great care they had given to his wife.
He said: ‘It couldn’t have worked out better - Hospice will get the €3,000 plus whatever extra is raised. Mary got to come home for a week before she passed away and Hospice gave us great help and support so we’re delighted to be able to help them.’