KIDS ESSAYS: Santa moves his workshop to West Cork

WE asked West Cork Schoolchildren to write short essays on the theme of Santa relocating to West Cork...and they did not disappoint!

A very special thanks to Linda Dennehy of the West Cork Education support centre for her help.

It was a stormy day in The North Pole, but unfortunately for the elves, today was the day they had to test the kites they made for the children. The wind was so strong that some of the smaller elves would have to hold a kite in groups or they could risk being blown away! One elf called Susie had had enough. She marched all the way to Santa’s office clutching her hat because she didn’t want to lose it. When she arrived she was greeted by Santa who was checking to make sure the naughty and nice lists were correct. ‘What seems to be the problem?’ he asked nonchalantly. ‘We need to move!’ Susie demanded. ‘And why should we…’ Santa began but then he looked out the window and it answered his question for him. ‘Okay,’ he replied, ‘I happen to own a log cabin in West Cork we could use.’ And so it was all arranged, the elves were all on board, Mrs Claus could use a change of scenery and the reindeer didn’t mind.

When they arrived in West Cork it was pouring rain so they went to the log cabin which was enormous but cosy. Everything was perfect! However it was short lived, as the weather was much windier here and it always rained. ‘Oh well,’ an elf said. ‘At least we can test toy boats!’

Caoimhe O’Sullivan, aged 12, 6th class, Tirelton N.S.

Last year, Santa decided to move his workshop to West Cork. After centuries at the freezing North Pole, even he had to admit that snow can get a bit annoying! The reindeer were eager to graze on lush Irish grass and the elves were ready for a change of scenery. West Cork looked amazing on Google Maps – and the local shops sealed the deal!

The elves rented office space at The Ludgate Hub, while Santa set up his new workshop in a warehouse kindly rented by West Cork Distillers. Drinagh Co-Op delivered all the supplies to Santa’s new base in one of their famous lorries.

A local Castlehaven farmer even got special permission from the Department of Agriculture to house and feed the reindeer. Everything was going perfectly - until the very last shipment. The Drinagh lorry hit a giant pothole and cracked its front axle, leaving it stranded just hours before take-off!

A Drinagh Co-Op text alert went out, and soon local farmers arrived with tractors and trailers. Together, they saved Christmas by delivering the supplies to Santa’s new West Cork workshop.

Nollaig Shona Daoibh go Léir!

Daniel O’Donovan, 6th Class, Castletownshend N.S.

It was an extremely cold day at Santas workshop. Santa was just checking over all the boys and girls in the world on his computer, when suddenly all the machines in the workshop stopped working. Santa was so worried it was just six weeks to Christmas. Mrs Claus ran in saying Santa I was washing your clothes in the Laundry room and the light turned off. Next all the elves came in the room saying things like I was just wrapping a toy doll and the toy gun making machine stopped working and I was stacking all of the toy bricks when the light turned off. They wee all very worried, Santa said to Mrs Claus we better check the Reindeers stables the lights probably stopped working there as well. Mrs Claus ran out as fast as she could to check on the Reinders and sure enough the stables lights had stopped working.

Soon after Santa and the Elves were out by the Reindeers Stables too. Santa announces that they were going to have a meeting tonight at eight o’clock in the toy room. Eight o’clock came and everyone was sitting down in the toy room looking very worried. Santa announced that we’re going to move to West Cork. Everyone was very surprised at what Santa said. Next, he said for everyone to come up with an idea for where they will go to in West Cork. Just then everyone shouted Clogheen. So, it was decided they were going to move to Clogheen, in West Cork. The next day at two o’clock everyone started to load up the sleigh. Soon after they were on their way to Clogheen, It took about three hours to get there. A little while later they were there. They made it to Clogheen. They built a new workshop and started making all of the presents. A few weeks later it was Christmas Eve. Santa delivered all the presents to all the boys and girls around the world.

Emma O’Shea, aged 9, Cahermore NS

‘Santa,’ said Mrs Claus. ‘Yes?’ said Santa. ‘Are you getting a small bit bored of the North Pole?’ said Mrs Claus. ‘Yes a small bit. Hey! That gives me an idea! Do you know little Johnny who lives in Bandon?’ said Santa. ‘Yes,’ said Mrs Claus. Maybe, just maybe, we could move our workshop down to West Cork!’ said Santa. ‘Yes Santa! I love it!’ said Mrs Claus. ‘Ho ho hooooo!’ said Santa with Mrs Claus in the sleigh with him as they go to West Cork!

Later in the workshop – ‘Oh no no no!’ said Santa as he checked the list (it was the second time – like they say ‘He’s makin’ a list, he’s checkin’ it twice!). ‘What’s wrong?’ questioned Mrs Claus. ‘You know the way Little Johnny is good every year?’ questioned Santa back. ‘Yes,’ said Mrs Claus. ‘This year…he’s on the naughty list!’ said Santa. ‘Here’s a note I got from Little Johnny. It says: ‘Dear Santa, ever since I turned 13 (which was last year) I stopped believing in you and because I stopped believing in you I figured I could do whatever I want. From Johnny’. ‘You know what we have to do…Eeeeeelves!’ screamed Santa. ‘Yas!’ said Timmy and ‘Yus!’ said Jimmy. ‘It’s a Code Yellow we have here’ said Santa. The elves walked off. They knew what they had to do. The next morning when Johnny woke up he felt as if he were…different. He looked at his hands and they reminded him of a…frog. ‘Noooooo!’ screamed Johnny. He learned his lesson.

Moral of the story: Always believe in Santa!

Oscar Gorman, Age 10, Rang 4, Gaelscoil Dhroichead na Banndan

Santa was freezing. His toes had literally turned blue. Over the past few days the house had become colder and colder. At first, he thought the elves were just messing around with a child’s snowball machine or maybe granting a child’s wish of a snowy Christmas, but first needed to practise. Enough was enough though. Surely, they were not so bad that they needed to practise for a week! Why hadn’t one of the more experience elves magicked it away?

Santa put down his knitting and went into the bakery. This was Mrs. Clause’s favourite room and was the hottest. Santa usually never came in here. It was Mrs Clause’s place, but he needed to talk to her. As he stepped into the room, he braced himself for a blast of warm air. There was none. Instead, Mrs. Clause was holding her hands next to the oven, trying to warm herself.

Santa huffed out a breath, leaning against Comet’s stable door. Despite everybody thinking Rudolph was his favourite, it was actually Comet. He wondered what Comet would think about the move. They were going to move from the North Pole to West Cork. At first, he had not been sure but Mrs. Clause was intent on the move and he had gradually warmed to the idea. What better place to live in than West Cork? Full of beaches, historical sites and in the countryside. A place where everybody was known for being kind. He had always liked West Cork.

Three hours later, Santa stood, ready to say goodbye to his home. It all felt very sudden. He knew though, that their time in Lapland was over. It was time to try something new. Comet had agreed with him. He told Mrs. Clause and she had started packing. Mrs. Clause, when committed was a sight to behold. He could hear the elves and reindeers gathering behind them. He knew some of them hadn’t agreed with the move, happy with their home at Lapland. They were loyal though. The best quality of all, along with honesty and kindness.

‘Thank you all for coming. I’m happy to say that all of our elves and reindeers have decided to accompany us to West Cork. I know some of you don’t agree with the move entirely, so let me put your minds to rest. Due to the extreme coldness, Mrs. Clause and I have decided to take advantage of this and move. We feel like our time in Lapland has come to an end. We feel our next adventure is moving to West Cork.

Three days later Santa was enjoying west Cork immensely. He had already gone from Baltimore to Bandon. He and Mrs. Clause moved to a village called Ardfield. They found that everybody was quite nice to them and accepted them fully. The reindeers were visited everyday. Children coming with apples and carrots. Everybody loved the elves with heir gift -granting powers. It had been impossibie to keep their magic a secret but the elves had made everybody take a vow, bound by magic. Everybody now agreed that the move had been the right decision

West Cork truly was the most magical place!

Maëla Auffret, Age 11, 6th Class, Ardfield National School

Santa sighed as he stood in his workshop at the North Pole. Outside, the snow whirled and the wind howled, but his mind was far away. He thought of his favourite place to visit on Christmas Eve. West Cork! Every year, the highlight of his journey was flying over Cape Clear and Sherkin Islands, spotting the beacon near Baltimore and gliding over Lough Hyne towards Skibbereen.

As he gazed out on the frozen landscape, a brilliant idea struck him – he could move his workshop to West Cork! Hundreds of people swop their busy lives for the peace and beauty of the are so why not Santa?!

He quickly checked the local auctioneer’s websites, knowing Pat Maguire or Charles McCarthy would have the perfect place for sale near Skibbereen. His elves would love working with all the talented artists and craftspeople from Skibbereen Arts Centre. He would put an ad in The Southern Star to find the perfect team to help his elves!

His friends at O’Sullivan’s Toyshop had been helping him for years – keeping him up to date on the latest toys while Thornhill’s Electrical shop would stock the latest technology that children asked for each year!

Mrs. Claus would adore baking with Field’s Bakery and the possibility of getting her hands on the recipe for their famous bread. The reindeer would love munching the lush West Cork grass!

West Cork was the perfect place for his workshop! All that was left to do now was to pack up the sleigh and place a quick call to West Cork Connect to hire a bus to transport all the elves!

West Cork get ready – Santa Claus in coming to town!

Amy Collins, Age 12, 6th Class - St. Joseph’s NS Skibbereen

Once upon a Christmas, Santa was in his workshop helping his elves make the presents for the children of West Cork. They were making them very fast but Santa was still worried that they would not make it in time! But then, Santa had an idea, ‘What if we move to West Cork for this Christmas?’ he said. Cherry, Santa’s head elf said it was a wonderful idea so they began to pack up reindeer and all and they sent cookie the elf to find the perfect place to put their workshop.

He chose Scoil na mBuachaillí because there was a running track there for the reindeer to run around on and chickens to get eggs from to make gingerbread and cookies to eat! There was also a big hall to make the toys in but Santa was still worried they would not make all the presents in . So he asked the children in SNB to help him and his elves. With the children’s, they loaded the sleigh full of balls and dolls and teddy bears and sweets and a bike and a jigsaw. Then Santa flew off over the horizon in his shiny red sleigh.

Matthew O’Regan, 5th Class, Scoil na mBuachaillí, Clonakilty

T’was a week before Christmas, and all through the North Pole, all the elves were working, working it all.

Then out from the shadow, came a terrible storm,

Breaking the workshop, ruining its form.

Then came the man known as Santa Claus,

Who said to the elves, ‘hey you! Pause!’

‘I have an idea, so gather around’

‘Come let me show you what I found!’

He was holding a map, so old and so broke,

Though it was interesting what it wrote.

‘Come to West Cork and you will see,

This is the place that’s meant to be’,

Santy read,

‘We’ll go tomorrow but now to bed.’

The next day when Santa woke up,

Ms. Claus was already packing up.

‘Now we can go so fuel up the sleigh’

‘West Cork we’re on our way!’

Then when they arrived,

they stepped out of the sleigh

but something was not the right way.

‘Where is the snow there’s none of it!’

‘What is that not even a bit?’

For them you see,

They’re used to the cold,

and that is how the story unfolds.

Santa and his elves went back to the north pole

And started to rebuild,

Rebuilding it all.

Pippa Woodward

4th Class St James NS Durrus

‘Well…alright, I’ll just spit it out then. I’ve decided to move my workshop to West Cork!’, Santa exclaimed. ‘What!’, cried Elfie the Elf. ‘Are you gone mad?’, cried Elvis the Elf. ‘Ah sure, why are you putting it there of all places?’, said Mrs. Claus, in a shocked and annoyed voice. ‘Well, I’ve actually thought about it and I looked it up on Google. It turns out Coppeen is a rural part of West Cork so I made a deal with the fairies from the Ringfort in Coppeen. It took a lot of negotiating and finally, they said I could build my workshop at the back of the Ringfort so lads…. We better jump in the sleigh’. ‘Oh. God help me, I should never have married you’, said Mrs. Claus.

When they arrived to the Ringfort, Santa and the elves started construction while Mrs. Claus went to have a look at the area. Mrs. Claus was walking around enjoying the lovely green fields when she came aross a very good looking building. She realised it wasn’t a shop, it wasn’t a pub (thank God, or Santa would be tipsy already). No, actually, it was worse that a pub….It was a SCHOOL. She ran to tell Santa.

She burst in through the door of their already built workshop because Santa was magic. ‘Santa’, she cried. ‘There’s a BIG problem’. ‘Well, come on, spill the tea’, Santa said. There’s a school up the road. Santa was very alarmed. ‘What are we going to do?’, he cried. ‘I spent all my money on coming here to this lovely country but the cost of living is too expensive so we have to stay here. See, the problem is that school means children and if children find our workshop or spot Santa around the place then the whole excitement of Santa would be over by Christmas!’

‘Ok, I have an idea’, said Santa. ‘We will build the workshop underground!’ And to this day, no-one has found Santa’s Workshop.

Caragh Fehily Coppeen NS 5th Class Age 11

It was November 1st, 2025. The snow was falling heavily outside Santa’s window. He stood up just as Mrs. Clause entered the room. ‘We’re leaving now,’ she said. Santa had one last glance out the window and followed her through the door. On his way over to the sleigh, Santa thought of the people who had found out his location and had appeared at his door. Now, loads of people appear at his door and it can’t stay that. It really can’t. It was those people who made him come to the decision to move his workshop to Báile Núis West Cork.

Santa and Mrs. Clause got to the sleigh just as the last stack of presents were being loaded in, so they climbed onto the soft red seats. The head elf sat on one side of Santa and Mrs. Clause on the other, and off they went. However, just two minutes into the ride, the compartment that held the sacks gave way and everything went flying across West Cork. The head elf gasped. Santa stared in shock, but the reindeers knew they had to act so Blitzen, Rudolph, Dancer detached themselves from the sleigh and went in search of the sacks.

Dancer found hers on a G.A.A pitch, Blitzen found hers in a bucket on a farm, Rudolph found his in a chimney and after some searching Prancer found hers in a playground tree. Although it was caught on a branch Prancer didn’t worry too much…until… a family came around the corner. Prancer panicked as the little girl looked up, she saw her and Prancer couldn’t do anything about it. Surprisingly the girl just smiled and winked, the people of Baile Núis really know how to keep a secret Prancer pulled the sack free and, in a flash, she was back in the sleigh. And the next minute they were setting into Baile Núis. The little girl had a surprise on Christmas because under the tree was a note signed Prancer.

Fiadh Twomey, 5th class, Bishop Galvin National School (Newcestown National School)

It was a stormy morning and the wind was howling. Down below in Santa’s workshop, Santa said to Mrs Clause ‘I am sick and tired of this stormy weather’ ‘There is nearly a snow storm every day!’ he cried.

‘Well, why don’t we all go on a holiday?’ exclaimed Mrs Clause! ‘Come on’ coaxed Mrs Clause, ‘it will be fun.’ ‘I don’t know, who will look after the reindeers?’ ‘They can come too!’ stated Mrs Clause. ‘I’ll think about it,’ said Santa…

In the morning Mrs Clause tried to persuade Santa again. After a while, he said ‘fine ok.’ ‘But where will we go?’ ‘Ireland?’ Suggested Mrs Clause. ‘Of course’ said Santa, ‘that’s a great idea.’ It's not as hot as the Mediterranean and it's not as cold as the North Pole. It's just right! Start packing, we are going to Ireland. Yippee!

‘What part of Ireland should we travel to?’ ‘Ho, ho, ho, that’s a good question’ stated Mrs Clause as she began to think. ‘Wait,’ Bitsy the Elf said, ‘Bantry is a nice place to go to. The boys and girls are very friendly there and write us lovely letters every year.

Brilliant! Let’s go there, can you please cook up a nice potion for our trip so that you can make the sleigh and workshop invisible. All the Elves got to work quickly, they then left the reindeers out and up, up and away on their big adventure to Bantry, West Cork.

However, they struggled to land on the square so they went out to the air strip to land.

They then teleported all their belongings to the Park Lands in Kealkill as the Reindeers liked the grass and trees there and they set up his workshop.

They loved living in a little tin cabin there all summer long. The villagers promised to keep the secret and everyone loved listening to them playing with the fairies.

Santa and Mrs Clause described it as the best getaway they ever had.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Mary Crowley, 4th Class, Kealkill National School.

Santa moved his workshop to West Cork for a change of scenery. But there was no snow in West Cork. Santa couldn’t work without snow. So, then Santa went to the Snow Wizard for help. Finally, Santa reached the Snow Wizard and the Snow Wizard how he could make it snow in West Cork. The wizard said he had to buy as much Southern Star copies as he could and the sell as much as he could. So that’s what Santa did. After he brought nine decillion copies and then sold all of them it started snowing as the Snow Wizard had predicted. Then Santa could finally get back to work.

Santa was happy now as the click-clack sound of making toys remined him of children laughing. All the elves were overjoyed with the snow because they were burning up. The reindeer were the same. Then when Santa left on his sleigh, he saw all the children enjoying the snow. So, he said to all, ‘Merry Christmas everyone and to all a good night’. When Santa got back late in the morning they had a big party all day long. With all the presents delivered Santa could finally relax and unwind. Merry Christmas everyone!