AN Ennis family’s home is set to make things merry and bright this festive season – and all in the name of a very worthy cause. For the seventh year in a row the home of Gerry and Carmel Keane in Ashfield Park has been donned from top to toe with a dazzling array of Christmas lights to raise money for charity.

Over the years the Keane family’s stunning festive displays have raised funds for a variety of organisations, with people who visit encouraged to leave a donation in a secure box outside of the home on the Gort Road.

This year the family have chosen the Samaritans as their chosen charity with all funds raised going to the worthy cause. The Christmas lights will be officially lit this Friday at 6pm with Gerry telling us he is really looking forward helping to bring some festive cheer.

He reveals that the energy crisis and rising electricity costs meant that this year’s display was in doubt, however he has received local support to ensure the fundraiser will go ahead this year.

Gerry has been busily working on his visually spectacular display since the October Bank Holiday weekend, and a test run has been a success.

“The weather was a bit bad at the bank holiday so I was a little bit delayed but I’m fairly on schedule. Everything is more or less up and running now, just a little bit of fine tuning and we will be good for Friday, December 2 at 6pm.”

The idea behind the Christmas displays begun when his grandson was born, he explains.

“It started when Sean was born, we wanted to make a big deal of Christmas and we just went from there. Then a few years later Councillor Mary Howard asked me would I be interested in putting out a collection box to raise money for charity. And it’s been getting bigger and better ever since.”

The entire house is covered in lights, with Gerry saying he has no idea how many bulbs are involved in creating the display.

“I add a small little bit every year, and I have to replace some of the older ones and the ones that have gotten broken. I’m always on the look-out for something new. Shiny, tacky and gaudy are the targets,” he laughs.

“I’ve every inch of the house, the front of the house, the roof, the gable ends, I’m running out of space now. I don’t know how many lights there are, people ask me but I really don’t, but there is a lot.”

He explains that the Samaritans is an organisation that is very close to the family’s heart as his late mother volunteered with them. “We’re delighted to be able to support the fantastic work that the Samaritans do.”

As well as raising funds for the Samaritans, Gerry says he hopes that the lights will help bring some festive cheer to people, acknowledging that the last few years have been difficult for many.

“Hopefully this will bring some brightness to people’s lives, it’s been a horrible few years. People have been so kind and generous to us and it’s just amazing. It’s lovely to see people stopping and taking pictures and giving a little donation into the box. We encourage kids to come along with their parents, and we’d have a few sweets for the kids.”

Every year Gerry and his family cover the cost of the additional electricity needed for the lights, ensuring every cent raised in the donation box goes to the chosen charities.

However, this year he tells us, “it was touch and go” whether they would be able to put on the lighting display without outside help.

“We’ve done something we have never done before this year. I normally cover the cost of the electricity myself, everything that goes into the collection box always goes to the chosen charity. This year we have got support from local businesses, and to be honest we wouldn’t be doing this without them because I wouldn’t be able to carry the cost.

“We’ve had support from Hogan Motors, Dulick Motors, Top Part motor factors, West Gate motor factors, ,The Auburn Lodge Htel, Ennis Electrical and Mary Howard herself. When Carmel and myself were talking about this year, the way electricity is gone, we wouldn’t have been able to do this without them, it was touch and go.”

Usually the officially lighting ceremony is carried out by Gerry and Carmel’s grandchildren, however they have now moved away. “We have very special substitutes this year, Mary Howard’s nieces Teagan and Caitlin Howard – Rynne and they are delighted, they are really excited.”

Looking forward to the switch-on, he says, “It’s just so lovely. It’s hard to describe how heart-warming it is. Last year for example, it was lashing rain, but the second they are switched on, to see the kids and the joy and the happiness, it’s just great to see.”

Donations can be left at the box outside the pillar of the home’s gate. “It’s monitored, checked and emptied every hours. We have CCTV cameras on it. It’s 100% safe everything that goes into the box, it’s guaranteed every single cent will go to the charity.”

He doesn’t have a particular sum he is aiming to raise, saying every little bit counts.

“Last year for Rape Crisis MidWest I thought with everything going on the funds raised wouldn’t be great. But we got €2,159. We really didn’t think we would do so well, people are just so generous and kind. I know things are hard for people, but any little bit we can gather is a help and we are delighted to be able to do this.”