The annual Christmas event at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park is celebrating 20 years of operation, with over 31,000 people expected to visit the 26-acre site during this year’s festive event.
Details
The event creates seasonal employment in the local community, with 50 additional staff members enlisted this year, to help create the experience.
Commenting on the preparations that go into the annual event, Susan Murphy, general manager, Shannon Heritage, said, “We are fortunate to have such a dedicated and passionate team at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, who have worked tirelessly to prepare the park for this special event. It’s a labour of love for them, with preparations beginning as early as June.
“A massive amount of planning and commitment has gone into the event, from ensuring our light display is energy efficient to building all our props in house. It has been a hive of activity here for months, from early morning to late at night. Seeing the excited faces of our visitors, who travel from across the region and beyond, makes it all worthwhile.”
The event features the Trail of Lights Experience, A Winter’s Tale Christmas show, and breakfast with Santa.
Some 45,000 energy-saving LED light bulbs have been used, and, along the route, visitors can meet a host of festive characters, take a ride on the Bunratty Polar Express train, walk through the new tunnel-of-lights feature, take a whirl on the folk park’s carousels, and see the traditional nativity scene.
Additional Information
The Christmas experience will operate daily until 23 December. For more information, visit bunrattycastle.ie/christmas.
