The Church of Ireland Carrigrohane Union of Parishes, which include the three parish churches of St Peter’s, Carrigrohane, The Church of the Resurrection, Blarney and St Senan’s, Inniscarra is hosting what it believes to be the first Christmas Tree Festival in Cork.  It will run from Friday next 2nd December until Sunday, 4th December at the Church of Ireland churches in Carrigrohane, Blarney and Inniscarra.

Each venue will host part of a trail of imaginatively decorated Christmas trees that, together, tell the Christmas story in a new and wonderful way.  The trees have started to arrive today and there is lots of interest, including from TV.

Fifty-five school and community groups are involved in decorating the trees.  The groups come from across Carrigrohane/Ballincollig, Blarney and Inniscarra areas.  Participating groups will be provided with a verse from the Christmas story on which to base the decoration of their tree – so there will be all kinds of styles and interpretations!  Full details are available on the Christmas Tree Website.

A free souvenir programme will be produced that explains all the trees – and will include advertisements for all the local business that have sponsored the Festival. 

 The Festival will be open to the public and there will be no entrance fee.  There will be voluntary donation boxes available to support the churches’ on-going work, including local community activities, and the festival partnership with St Vincent de Paul food bank.