Light show on the Boyne to kickstart festive season

The festive season gets into full swing in Navan this weekend with the turning on of the Christmas lights and the launch of a spectacular new light show on the River Boyne.

Meath County Council will launch its Christmas Crib on Trimgate Street on Sunday evening at 6pm and this will be followed also on Sunday by the launch of its new light projection show on the River Boyne at Poolboy Bridge at 6.30pm.

The Christmas illumination on the Solstice Arts Centre with seasonal winter scenes and greetings will return this year and will also light up from Saturday.

Ongoing Navan 2030 works means the usual Christmas tree on Kennedy Road could not proceed this year and instead the council has opted for a new lights display on the River Boyne which will continue nightly until 6th January.

The waterscreen lighting display featuring 'Imogen, daughter of the Boyne' will be looped on the half hour from 5pm to 10pm each night, to music.

The rest of the Christmas lights around the town's various streets will also be switched on this weekend.

Meanwhile, the council's Christmas trees in each of the municipal district areas, will be turned on over the coming week.

In Laytown, the lights will be switched on at 5pm on Thursday, 1st December, while a Christmas light projection will also take place this year on the Hill of Slane.

Also on 1st December, at 7pm, the Kells Christmas light will be turned on and Christmas lights will once again be projected onto the Civic Offices in the town.

On Friday, 1st December at 4pm, the Christmas tree lights will be turned on in Ashbourne at the Tesco Car Park, and at 6pm that evening, the tree at Trim Courthouse will be switched on the Christmas illumination on the Courthouse building will be also begin.

Finally, the lights on the tree in Dunboyne will be switched on at 7.45pm on Saturday, 3rd December.

This is the first year since Covid that locals will be able to gather for the festivities, and last year the Council live streamed the switching on of the Christmas lights ceremonies instead. Meanwhile, councillors in Trim agreed to have free parking in the Council car parks on weekend in the run up to Christmas.

Cllr Joe Fox said it was important to have some sort of free parking incentive to encourage people into the town, saying it was vital for the traders. Cllr Aisling Dempsey agreed and said parking in the car parks should at least be free on weekends in December.

Director of Services Des Foley asked them to bear in mind that the pay for one hour, get one free incentive was still in place but agreed that they could facilitate free parking in the town's car parks for weekends during December and the first weekend in January.