Keeping things light in Knockavilla

A KNOCKAVILLA family that hosts an incredible Christmas lights display outside their home every Christmas which includes an outdoor luminated crib are this year hoping to reach the €100,000 target for Marymount University Hospice.

For the past 15 years Neilus and Margaret Lehane have been putting on the dazzling lights display featuring thousands of bulbs at their home and have raised an incredible €90,563 so far through donations from families who gather to marvel at the display.

Last year alone they raised €12,852 for the charity.

Margaret said that due to Covid-19 restrictions their display is significantly scaled back this year but they still want people to come and donate through a box located outside.

‘Normally we would have a big ceremony with Santa visiting and fireworks for the switching on of the lights but this year due to the restrictions we just turned them on last Sunday evening,’ said Margaret.

‘If people come to visit the display we are asking them to social distance and we have hand sanitisers and signs outside the house reminding people of this and we hope people follow the guidelines.’

While she says it’s hard work putting on the display annually. she and Neilus enjoy it.

‘It’s great when we see the same people coming back every Christmas and what we find now is that some adults who visited it as children themselves are now coming back with their children to see the lights. We would love to the hit the €100,000 this year and we’re hoping people will still come this year and donate money.’

Normally their neighbours, friends and family would be out helping them erect the lights there and across the road but because they scaled back the display this wasn’t necessary.

‘We have the lights on display and people who come regularly know what to do and people will be more responsible this year.’

And it’s going to be a special Christmas too for the family as they celebrate Christmas with their new grandson, Óran, born to their daughter Eva in October.

Their Christmas lights display will run until January 6th