Pictures: Kilkenny's Yulefest opens with a bang! Lights, music and a huge turnout

Over 15,000 people thronged the streets of Kilkenny last weekend as the now annual Yulefest Christmas celebrations arrived in style.

With the building of the Christmas market on the city’s Parade area having taken a number of days and the carousel and the iconic Christmas tree ready for action, Saturday evening saw all the lights come on and thef four-week festival launched in style.

The star of the show was Daidí na Nollag or Santa Claus, who spectacularly arrived on the River Nore, ably assisted by Kilkenny Civil Defence on their RIB river craft and accompanied by Kilkenny Nore Dragon Paddlers and Kilkenny Aqua Kayak Club.

Pictures by Vicky Comerford
After being greeted by hundreds of well-wishers on John’s Bridge and the Canal Square, Santa then joined almost a hundred cyclists in a cycle around the city with bikes of young and old blinged with Christmas lights and decorations and led by Róisín Hickey of On your Rothar and helped by local cycling activists.

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The light switch on and official launch was carried out by Mayor of Kilkenny John Coonan and Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council Mary Hilda Cavanagh.

Then, three generations of the Grace family — singing and song-writing sensation, Robert, his Dad and long-time Kilkenny entertainer Bob and Robert’s son, Lincoln — performed Robert’s smash hit, ‘Home’ to a cheering audience of young and old.

The occasion also coincided with Bob’s birthday and the crowd happily sang their birthday wishes, led by host and compere for the evening, Edward Hayden, a close neighbour of the Grace family from Graignamanagh.

The official party of councillors and committee then repaired to the historic Shee Alms House, just metres down Rose Inn Street for a wonderful exhibition of the One Million Stars project, spearheaded by the newly-renamed Amber Safety and Support for Women and Children group, who provide vital support for victims of domestic violence at this and all times of the year.

Coordinator of the project, which has seen people all over Ireland weaving stars as signs of hope for those struggling with abuse, Siobhán McQuillan, thanked the festival and Kilkenny County Council for accommodating the exhibition in one of Kilkenny’s most historic buildings, itself an alms house and place of shelter and assistance in times past.

Among the beautiful art displays featuring the stars were pieces completed by International Protection and Asylum Seekers from Ukraine and Palestine. The exhibition will be open at weekends throughout December.

Also lighting up the bottom of the Parade is a wonderful exhibition from the Made in Kilkenny craft producers and makers from throughout County Kilkenny.

CHRISTMAS IN KILKENNY
For more on Yulefest and what’s on this Christmas, see this week’s Christmas in Kilkenny special feature.