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Christmas spirit flickering stronger than ever

November 28th, 2020 8:00 PM

By Kieran O'Mahony

This year’s Candlelight children, Tim Angland and Chloe Rose O’Sullivan are the children of former Candlelight children.

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THE key to the success of the annual Candlelight magazine – now in its 37th edition – is down to three ‘very agreeable’ women, according to its editor Alice Taylor who oversees the magazine with Mary Nolan O’Brien and Maureen Bowen.

Speaking to The Southern Star, Alice said that this year’s magazine is their biggest and dare she say it ‘their best edition yet’ with over 60 pages of stories and poems from Innishannon and the surrounding areas.

‘Maybe on account of Covid people had time more time to sit down. We decided that people needed an excellent Candlelight after the year we have had and people were really looking forward to it. It’s an ideal Christmas present and it’s flying already,’ said Alice.

‘The jewel in the crown is a piece written by Murt Ó Súilleabháin as he details the local place names of Innishannon and Knockavilla. Very few would have the expertise or knowledge to do an article like that and it’s great for Innishannon.’

One particular poem entitled ‘When will we dance again?’ by Teresa Pollock is particulary poignant in these Covid times and it captures the yearning for ‘musical nights and bright city lights.

‘We’re going 37 years now and the three of us don’t have a committee or anything – we’re three very agreeable women and it just works. We tell people that the deadline for submissions is October 1st and we take it from there.’ Alice said they have a lot of old faithfuls contributing to the magazine but they have also secured some newcomers too which is vital for its  future.

And it’s come full circle with the Candlelight children too who feature in the magazine, as Tim Angland and Chloe Rose O’Sullivan are actually  children of former Candlelight children (see picture, far left).

Candlelight is available to buy in Innishannon, Crossbarry and Bandon for €10.

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