Cork family tripping the light fantastic for good cause this Christmas

Lucky for Pat and Margaret Carey that ESB workers decided not to strike. They would have been hard pushed to power up the thousands of Christmas lights that adorn their house in Youghal, Co Cork.

Pat is reluctant to say exactly how many lights he put up this year on the family home on the hill, where the sight of Christmas cheer can be seen for miles around. There’s even a runway for Santa’s sleigh.

“God only knows how many lights,” says Pat, “but I have been up and down that ladder for weeks. It’s my step aerobics — and good exercise.”