Santa Keeps his Christmas Visit Promise to Cahereen Heights Residents

Let it Snow: Santa and Mrs. Claus with members of their welcoming party at Cahereen Heights, Castleisland on Wednesday evening. Included are: Mossie and Hannah, Martina and Laura, Cllr. Charlie Farrelly and Aaron O’Mahony. ©Photograph: John Reidy
On the plus side: Cllr. Charlie Farrelly delivered safety Stop road signs and markings to the residents of St. John’s Park in Castleisland on time for Christmas. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The pure community effort which prevails in the tight-knit Cahereen Heights estate has been rewarded by visits by Santa himself over the past few years.

They do say that he sees us when we’re sleeping and he knows if we’re awake and he also knows who’s working for the communities in the area.

That’s why, it seems, he always answers Cllr. Charlie Farrelly’s letters inviting him to visit the estate and say hello to children of all ages there – and he always keeps his promise.

An Anxious Gathering

There was an anxious gathering on the estate last evening just before the Angelus as an excited welcoming party gathered and wondered if Santa would find them because of the low hanging cloud and the darkness of the evening.

Find them he did and he emerged, cheerful and laughing and effortlessly spreading goodwill in all directions.

A Hug for Mrs. Claus

After a big hug for Mrs. Claus he posed for photographs before checking his list twice and asking Cllr. Farrelly if there were any changes since last year.

He also asked Cllr. Farrelly to accompany him on his trip around the almost 100 houses on the estate as he knew his friend had done the rounds with Easter eggs over the past couple of years.

A Wave and a Fit of Laughter

With a big, flamboyant wave and a fit of laughter that trailed off into the distance, he bid farewell to his welcoming party with a promise to return next year.

Always aware of the impact made by his attention and visits to the various areas, and of the need to get around to so many more while he’s at it, he boarded his low-flying present distribution craft and he was gone in a flash.

Cllr. Farrelly’s Letter to Santa

Just like all of us, Cllr. Farrelly has to make a list of his good deeds for the year and send them off to Santa before he decides if he will visit.

Santa then replies with what he knows about the applicant on a huge sheet of paper with holly and glitter all around the edges and a big, square box with more holly and glitter around it – on the top right-hand corner in which he marks YES or the dreaded NO.

On the good side, Cllr. Farrelly mentioned that he had campaigned for the the long suffering people of Cordal to have their old, corroded water supply pipes replaced and that the job is going well at present. 

Working in all Weathers

Cllr. Farrelly wrote it down that the men, working out in all weathers – and Santa knows what it’s like, are nearly at Hughes’ Bar from their starting point at Breahig Cross last month.

He also mentioned that he kept writing to Kerry County Council on behalf of the people of St. John’s Park to have Stop signs erected and marked on the Limerick Road entrance / exit  to and from the estate and that they got them a couple of weeks ago with the help of his Kerry County Council allocation.

He also told Santa that he’s going to put down a motion to have the Con Houlihan plinth and sculpture taken in hand and cleaned early in the new year.

Santa Knew Already

Santa said he already knew about the drive-in bingo sessions and the tractor runs that Cllr. Farrelly and his crew – and he knew them all by name – had organised for various local charities – because he reads The Maine Valley Post every day.

On the bad side, Cllr. Farrelly couldn’t think of anything to write down on this page – and neither could Santa.

And so he signed off with a magnificent YES with the biggest marker he could find as he wished everyone A Very Happy Christmas!

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