Clarinbridge village has been busy again, and this Saturday next (December 13 ) the village hall will burst into life with the rekindling of the Christmas Market in the old parish hall and stone courtyard.
Organised by the arts festival team, they are hoping that patrons will come along and enjoy a respite from frantic town shopping, because this market offers a most pleasurable and exciting trail through an array of colourful and inventive stalls, and attractive food stalls.
Behind the scenes, the organisers are delighted with the response from stall holders, - who in a co-operative effort to lift the economic gloom, have flocked to the event. From an initial plan of indoor stalls in the village hall for artfully produced hand-crafts, jewellery, artworks and home-bake, this Christmas Market has gone into top gear with the addition of outdoor stalls showcasing, such as Green Earth Organics of Moycullen with their array of top quality vegetables and salads; Athenry Organics with their delicious olives, pestos and relishes; Jean-Dominique with his French pastries and cheeses, and Tommy Martin with his array of local farm produce.
There will also be Christmas buckets of fresh Clarinbridge oysters, mussels, clams and winkles will be on sale at the market, with accompanying organic French wines to wash these delicacies down.
In complement, there will be smoked salmon and brown bread platters available, and contributing to the village hall funds, pretty teas with mince pies and a sweet treat being turned out from the kitchen throughout the day; plus an r&r area to sit back and just read the newspaper for the weary.
There will be stalls of table decorations, silver-ware, antiques and ceramics, candle-makers and hand-crafted gift items in stitchwork, felting, fleece, knits, and silks; and the charming ‘Away with the Fairies’ will also be there. The organisers are delighted to showcase the work of some established and new jewellery designers – in particular the exquisite work of Emily Jean Designs, and Diamonds by Julia.
Galway’s Cobblestone Cafe will be there with Kate’s mouth-watering savouries, quiches and salads, with Claire’s Tearooms and Poppy Seed, both well-known Clarinbridge eateries, also offering their delicious gourmet lunches, Christmas cakes, puddings, and pies for takeaway. There may even be an angel-on-horseback or two to tuck into with a little organic. All in all, there will be much to engage in over the day.
Doors are open at 9am and the market will run until 6pm. Joe Sherry will be MC for the day and can’t wait to start the trading and the banter - to a backdrop of music, raffles, Santa’s lucky dip for the children, on-the-spot auctions, wheel of fortune, spot prizes for the shoppers – the most glam, the most crafty, and lots more fun. The Clarinbridge Choral Singers will be along at around 2.30pm to carol-sing all the favourites, and to round the day off there will be further music and a little mulled wine after 6pm, with music from the lovely McCarthy sisters, Marion and Jackie.
