A FESTIVE house in Ennis has been lighting up the faces of both the young, and the young at heart. For the second year in a row, Gerry Keane has transformed his Ashfield Park house with a dazzling display of Christmas lights in every colour and style imaginable, all in the name of charity.
Gerry said people are welcome to come along and see the house and take photographs and he is encouraging those who visit to make a donation to Milford Hospice.
He explained that he first began decorating the house about four years ago, for his grandson, Sean, and he was encouraged last year to use the interest in his home to raise money for charity.
“I started, about four years ago, to make a big deal of Christmas for my grandson and I decided to keep going from there. Then, last year, Mary Howard said to me, why don’t I help get money for charity. I’d never thought of it until then, so we nominated Pieta House.
“Sean is now five and a half and he’s done the switch-on of the lights for the past two years and he and my granddaughter just love it.”
According to Gerry, this is his biggest Christmas display yet. “It just keeps getting added to every year and it keeps improving. I’d say there isn’t an inch that hasn’t been covered this year. I just love the whole spirit of Christmas.”
Gerry explained that he chose Milford Hospice as the beneficeries of the fundraiser because of the care that they gave his late mother, who passed away last June.
“My mother spent the last week of her life in Milford and we were so touched by the work that they do. It is a hugely worthwhile cause,” he said.
Among the lights on display at the house is a large ‘Happy Christmas’ sign that he made with his daughter. He says that, despite all the lights, he isn’t worried about soaring electricity bills.
“It’s not too bad. They are mostly LEDs, which are cost-effective. Buying the lights is a one-off cost. I don’t mind it because it’s all for a good cause. And I love to bring a smile to people’s faces, that’s what it’s all about,” he concluded.
By Jessica Quinn
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.