This article is from page 33 of the 2008-01-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 33 JPG
WHILE businesses nationally were complaining of a slow Christmas trade, the west Clare capital was celebrating one of its busiest festive seasons in recent years.
“Given all the gloom and pessi- mism nationally we were pleasantly surprised to find Christmas trade slightly up on last year,’ said one busy retailer.
Kilrush Chamber of Commerce
reported that the businesses of the town were very pleased with trade this year.
PRO for the chamber Charles Glynn lay some of the success with the new designer Christmas lights which added new life to the town.
“It gave us as terrific boost,” he Sr HLGe
A special promotion day on Decem- ber 16 also started off the Christmas trade in style as shoppers availed of 20 per cent off at most shops.
While last year the west Clare capi- tal may have had to recycle decade old lights this year its residents and visitors had a state of the art LED lighting display to bring festive cheer to the town.
Designing the display for the mari- time town took a lot of planning, with challenges like the width of Francis Street having to be overcome.
The lights will be installed in two stages with the majority of the work already completed this year.
The main streets were lit up for December 2007, with smaller streets catered for in the second phase.
Kilrush Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Kilrush Town Council is currently undertaking the ambitious “Spirit of Kilrush Christ- mas Lighting Project’.
Th project is being supported by generous sponsorship from ESB Moneypoint, Kilrush Credit Union and other smaller businesses in the area.