The ‘ghost’ of Drogheda Christmas lights debacle ‘should never be repeated’

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

The collapse of Christmas lights in the centre of Drogheda “exposed serious weaknesses in how we manage the infrastructure in our public realm.”

Speaking at the January meeting of Drogheda Borough District Cllr. Declan Power said councillors across the chamber had aired their views in December on the Christmas lighting in Drogheda, where he pointed out “not all lights were illuminated,” which was “a little bit embarrassing for the town.”

But, he said the collapse of Christmas lights at the Tholsel Crossroad junction of West Street, St Peter's Street and Laurence Street had “effectively paralysed Drogheda” during the busiest shopping season.

"Traders were embarrassed, locals were angry, visitors were confused as traffic ground to a halt, deliveries were delayed and taxi drivers were forced to reroute.”

He added that it was “by sheer good fortune and nothing more” that no one was injured, adding that the incident “should focus the minds of everyone in this chamber.”

"What unfolded was not simply a problem with Christmas lights, it exposed serious weaknesses in how we manage our infrastructure in our public realm.”

Cllr. Power submitted a motion calling for Louth County Council to “undertake an audit and upgrade electrical infrastructure in prominent locations to support Christmas lighting and community events such as Christmas and Farmers markets, outdoor cultural and heritage events, and festivals in Drogheda.”

In a written response David Hanratty, Director of Service for Operations and Environment Delivery at Louth County Council said the supply and maintenance of Christmas lighting in Drogheda is the responsibility of the Drogheda BIDS company.

"In relation to other festivals, community events or markets, support by way of electrical supply would be on a case by case basis, but may be best served by use of temporary generators supplied by the organisers, rather than a permanent network of installations, with the associated administrative, maintenance and operations costs.”

But Cllr. Power said that while it is “fully acknowledged that Drogheda BIDS manage the Christmas lighting scheme, the response to his motion suggested it was nothing to do with Louth County Council which, he argued, “is simply not true.”

Cllr. Power added: “This is not how the largest town in Ireland should be presenting ourselves, particularly at Christmas time.”

"Electrical power boxes, supply points and anchorage systems form part of our public realm, and when they fail public safety is compromised.”

He said that Louth County Council in collaboration with ESB Networks “must undertake an audit of all infrastructure in Drogheda and replace anything that no longer is fit for purpose.”

This was needed to “future-proof Drogheda,” said Cllr. Power, making electrical power points available in key civic spaces such as the steps of St. Peter’s Church or Laurence’s Gate.

He added that none of the ambitions for Drogheda, such as increasing footfall or a flourishing night-time economy, “are credible if we cannot safely power Christmas lights that bring colour and vibrancy to the town.”

Cllr. Power criticised the proposal to use “noisy, temporary generators” to power individual events in Drogheda, saying they were “inconsistent” with climate change commitments and sustainability.

"This is not acceptable for a town of this size and ambition.”

He said: “We owe it to ourselves as councillors to ensure the ghost of Christmas past, 2025, is never repeated. The people of Drogheda will not accept excuses, and they deserve better.”

Cllr. Byrne said he fully supported the motion, and recalled that the council had given a commitment at the December meeting to upgrade the electrical junction boxes.

He called for a joined up approach, where the council, Drogheda Chamber of Commerce and BIDS work to ensure the problems are solved.

Mayor Michelle Hall asked for a timeline for repair of the junction boxes, to ensure they are fully operational before the Lu Festival in October.

Director of Service, David Jones, said the issues around the Christmas lights were not the responsibility of the council, but added that the local authority had committed to upgrading the junction boxes out of their own resources, which he said should take place in the first or second quarter of 2026.

He added that the council would work with all stakeholders, but urged councillors to highlight their concerns with the BIDS team.