Galway family's Christmas light show is back and bigger than ever
From this week's Galway City Tribune - The Carrick Family Light Show in Galway is back this year and better than ever – with over 70,000 individual lights delighting big and little kids alike on a nightly basis.
The Christmas light spectacular, erected each year by James Carrick on his family home at Lurgan Park in Renmore, has become an annual attraction for families and raises funds each year for a local charity.
This year, it’s animal welfare charity Madra that stands to benefit from the light show, and visitors are asked to give as much as they can.
For James, who spends all year planning the show, there’s huge satisfaction in seeing it come to life.
Last year, the show raised almost €8,000 for Galway Autism Partnership and James is hoping people will dig deep again this year.
“There’s nothing like it this side of the Shannon,” says James.
“The kids love it and so do the mums and dads. You see their faces when it gets going and that’s what you’re looking for – that shock appeal,” he laughs.
The equipment, ordered in from China, the UK and US survived the effects of Storm Barra well, he continues.
“We’ve upgraded a few bits this year – things like the TV in one of the upstairs window and we have a new donation station that flashes when you put money in it which means I can stay inside while its running,” says James.
The show runs nightly from 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday, with an extra kids show on Sundays at 5pm at 167 Lurgan Park.
This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of James' story, see this week's Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.