Lighting up Ireland for the Christmas season

Planning starts almost a year early

While you don't see the lights come on till the Autumn, local authorities plan out Christmas lights for our cities and towns very early in the year. Dublin City Council has to plan displays for 25 locations across the city, for example, so they hire artists and technical designers many months ahead. These people design the installations, test them, and check they are safe.

Local authorities who support smaller towns and villages also plan ahead. In Wicklow's Baltinglass Municipal District, groups must apply for Christmas light funding by early October. This means community groups are writing up proposals while most people are still thinking about Halloween.

How local authorities put up Christmas lights

Putting up Christmas lights on Irish streets is a complex operation. Local authorities have to be careful how they go about it.

These are the steps they take:

• Engineers check lampposts, brackets and buildings first. They make sure these structures are strong enough. Some councils like Fingal do not allow private groups to attach lights to public lampposts. This rule exists because of safety risks.

• Councils install temporary power points and cables. They add timer systems so lights turn on at sunset and turn off late at night. This saves energy.

• Work crews often install lights early in the morning or at night. They use special lifting equipment and manage traffic carefully. They must not block buses or create traffic problems.

Dublin's Winter Lights programme uses projectors, cables and temporary mounts. Workers hide these on rooftops, bridges and balconies. Everything must meet safety standards. Cables cannot block footpaths. People in wheelchairs or with buggies must be able to move freely. Emergency vehicles must be able to get through at all times. So there's a lot to consider when local authorities illuminate our streets for Christmas.

Public Christmas trees

Local authorities consider Christmas trees in public spaces as important landmarks. As with Christmas lights, installing them takes careful planning.

Local authorities often buy trees from Irish growers. They choose trees of a specific height and shape. Some local authorities sign contracts for several years to make sure they get really good trees for city centres and town squares.

Large trees need special trucks to transport them. Workers use cranes to lift them into place. The trees sit in specially built stands that can handle their weight and as well as the wind and rain.

Teams install lights and decorations that can survive bad weather. Many local authorities then hold special switch-on ceremonies so people can come together and celebrate the season. These events can include choirs, local volunteers and performances for families.

Some local authorities like Fingal connect tree lighting events to wider cultural programmes. They offer free parking and encourage people to shop locally. The tree becomes a meeting point for the community and helps local businesses.

Christmas markets and winter festivals

Local authorities now see Christmas markets as significant projects.

The work includes several parts:

Cork City Council chooses traders and vendors carefully for their Corkmas market in Emmet Place. The market has food stalls, craft sellers and local businesses. Vendors sell BBQ food, waffles, dog treats, jewellery and other items.

Local authorities add cultural activities to markets. Local choirs, youth groups and brass bands perform at set times. This makes markets about coming together as a community, not just a shopping event.

Markets need careful planning. Local authorities map out where each stall goes. They plan emergency routes. They provide power, waste management, toilets and amenities for people with disabilities. Local Enterprise Offices and town management teams help with this work.

In Limerick and other counties, local authorities spread Christmas events across many locations. They use markets, trails and events to bring people to smaller towns and villages, not just main city streets.

Why it's so important

Local authorities support festive activities for several reasons, including community wellbeing, local identity, and economic development.

Here are the main impacts:

• Including everyone: Programmes that include community choirs, youth groups, brass bands and local craft businesses make Christmas feel like it belongs to the whole community. The public spaces feel like they are for everyone during this time of year.

• Shared traditions: Light switch-ons, tree unveilings and winter light trails are events families come back to every year. They make familiar streets feel magical for a few weeks, and they have become part and parcel of Christmas tradition.

• Economic benefits: Free or cheaper parking and shop-local campaigns help keep money in town centres during Christmas. This is the busiest shopping time of year. It supports small businesses, which are very important to communities.

Christmas lights and markets bring joy to communities and help to make Christmas feel special. It may take months of planning and the involvement of many specialists, but Christmas wouldn't feel like Christmas without this amazing work.