Spread the joy by shopping local, advises mayor

THE traditional festive greetings of peace and goodwill were added to by business leaders in Cork last night as they urged shoppers to preserve jobs by spending locally.

The Christmas lights were turned on in the city centre by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Michael O’Connell, heralding the start of what retailers know should be their busiest time of the year.

While the recession may have cast some doom and gloom, it was smiles all round for the hundreds who watched the occasion and mixed with Snow White and the ~Seven Dwarfs.