It is that time of the year again with Mountmellick’s Christmas tree and crib in O’Connell Square – a must-see during the festive season.
This year’s tree, which measures over 12 metres, was donated by Coilte; harvested at Skeskin, Kinnitty Forest; and delivered by Roundwood Timber Ltd.
“We are immensely grateful to Coilte for their magnanimous support this Christmas time,” Paddy Buggy, chair of Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee, said
“Mountmellick has a long tradition with a Christmas Tree standing in O’Connell Square since 1956. The first iteration of the tree was cut locally, brought into town on a cart, placed in a barrel and adorned with 30 lights.
“Over the years, led by visionaries such as Ger and Brian Lynch, and many others, with an innovative light display that has excited and charmed young and old for decades – the Christmas Tree in Mountmellick has instilled huge pride, and fostered a sense of place in the community.
“It has served as a talisman to the urban character of Mountmellick’s identity, not only to the town’s residents, but to Laois as a whole, and our diaspora across the world.
“We also are particularly thankful to our local Credit Union for their ongoing benevolence over the years – ensuring a Christmas Tree is part of the town’s seasonal festivities.”
Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee led a programme of creative engagement throughout 2024 in collaboration with Yarnbombing Mountmellick, Mountmellick Community School, and local artists.
The mission of ‘The Valley Star Project’ is to reimagine Mountmellick’s future Christmas tree through the lens of climate action.
The culmination of ‘The Valley Star Project’ is showcasing in O’Connell Square with the ‘Butterfly Tree’ prototype, and additional maquettes created by local people can be seen in the windows of Nora’s Cake Shop.
Lead artist Martina Coyle explained: “Embedded in the project is the participants’ advocacy of ecologically sensitive strategies that consider environmental aspects at every phase of the creative process.
“This is a grass-roots project, of a very caring community. Seeking to honour past iterations of the beloved Mountmellick Christmas tree and the creativity and ambition that generated it, has been the guiding principle of our co-creation.
“Inclusivity, sustainability, shared learning and creation, combined with proactive enhancement of biodiversity and community wellbeing are the fabric we worked with.”
The project’s prototype ‘Butterfly Tree’ is reflective of the multifaceted elements that are at the heart of the project.
The tree is an exemplar of how strands of inspiration, collaboration and co-creation has informed the creation of this prototype.
The inter-threading of the crocheted leaves, flower and butterflies contemplates the motifs of Mountmellick Work, and how biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth.
Project manager Ann Lawlor said: “Mountmellick people can be proud and inspired by their heritage, archaeology, biodiversity, their creatives and makers, and innovative industries, to galvanise their journey on determining what they want their future Christmas tree to be.
“Our project, funded by the Creative Ireland Programme Creative Climate Action Spark fund, is the jumping-off point for firing the imagination of local people whilst keeping sustainable design and fabrication central to ‘Christmas Tree’ ideas, as well as building local capacity to generate energy from locally sourced renewables, such as sun and wind.”
The climate-friendly lighting technologies in the project are informed by solar capture and the capacity for renewable energies to be harnessed locally in Mountmellick, and integrated in the future into domestic, business, education, social and cultural infrastructures.
“The Valley Star Project and our year-long creative public engagement has generated a platform for change and gives consideration to what Mountmellick’s future Christmas tree can be,” Mr Buggy said.
“We are exploring through this Christmas season how the Christmas lights on the ‘Butterfly Tree’ prototype in O’Connell Square can be powered by solar energy; building in capability at a community level for future seasons, as well as promoting locally sourced and produced renewable energy.”
‘The Valley Star Project’ team offered their condolences to the family of Anne Blanche who recently passed away, and was a stalwart of Yarnbombing Mountmellick.
The group thanked Nina Horan, a long-serving member of Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee and Yarnbombing Mountmellick for her “vision, enthusiasm and advocacy.”
They thanked Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee, Yarnbombing Mountmellick, and Mountmellick Community School students and deputy principal Francis Kerry-La Rosa.
Laois-based artists Evgeny Chubatyy and Orla McDonagh, and Westmeath-based artist Bertille de Lestrade facilitated community and school workshops and participated in the making of project prototypes.
Amanda Hyland and the staff at Mountmellick Library provided space for community engagement workshops and meetings.
The project’ is support by the Credit Union, Midland Steel, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Creative Ireland’s Creative Climate Action Fund.
SEE ALSO – Laois woman wins An Taisce Climate Ambassador Award
