Westport's Ugly Christmas Tree

**Thunderblaster** · 24/11/2006, 7:39 PM

It was a pleasure to see the artifical Christmas tree that was erected in Westport blown over by the storm on Wednesday night. To put it mildly, it was aesthetically ugly when it was erected and caused controversy in the town the last two years. The first year, the council struggled to erect it due to the instructions in French (Parlez-vous francais?).

Last year it did not come down until mid February due to "storage" reasons. The real trees looked nice on the Octagon but this artificial one really grated me. I had two wishes for it: 1. It would be blown over by a storm and 2. Get struck by lightning. Locals have put varying costs on the tree but saw it as an expensive rip off. I had the pleasure of taking a picture of it on my mobile phone and then sending 40-50 texts to friends. Even one councillor could not contain his delight on its demise. I hope that this tree will never, ever be erected in Westport ever again!! It couldn't have happened to a nicer Christmas tree!!

**Raheny Red** · 24/11/2006, 7:46 PM

Upload the pic

**pete** · 24/11/2006, 8:48 PM

Picture of tree...

**Thunderblaster** · 24/11/2006, 8:58 PM

In trying to upload the picture, that is all I got!!

Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage

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Originally Posted by pete

Picture of tree...

The locals lampooned it, now let the nation desecrate it!!!

**pete** · 24/11/2006, 9:05 PM

Another picture from different angle!

**Thunderblaster** · 24/11/2006, 9:38 PM

Got it at last!! Sit back, relax and enjoy and laugh at the great demise of that ugly piece of thrash that crashed to the ground and good riddance to it!!

http://www.foot.ie/attachment.php?at...1&d=1164407670

**Thunderblaster** · 25/11/2006, 2:02 PM

I heard last night that the Town Council are going to erect a nice, natural tree in its place!!

**Raheny Red** · 25/11/2006, 4:09 PM

The state of that tree, I have seen some fake trees in my time that kinda resemble the real thing but that just looks like something that you would see in Noddy

**SligoBrewer** · 25/11/2006, 4:25 PM

is pete's pic the same tree?

**Thunderblaster** · 26/11/2006, 6:35 PM

Originally Posted by SligoBrewer

is pete's pic the same tree?

Indeed it is!!

**Thunderblaster** · 26/11/2006, 6:43 PM

WTC have lowered their flag to half mast and declared seven days of local mourning. RIP. Remains of the Christmas Tree will repose in McGing's Funeral Home on Wednesday evening from 5:30, leaving at 7:00 to St. Mary's Church. Funeral Mass on Thursday at 11:00 with burial afterwards in Aughavale Cemetery!!

Also, a new song has been released by a local musician. It is called "Knocking It Down, The Christmas Tree!!"

**SligoBrewer** · 27/11/2006, 9:16 AM

Originally Posted by Thunderblaster

Indeed it is!!

oh its hideious!

**Thunderblaster** · 27/11/2006, 5:26 PM

Knocking it down, the Christmas Tree
at the happy Octagon
Ugliness sprung where you can see
Ev'ry couple tries to chop

You will get a tempermental feeling When you view it minging
"Hear the wally; Deck the town with a big ould folly"
Knocking it down, the Christmas Tree
That you have got to pay
Everyone's dancing merrily
When it is taken away

Knocking it down, the Christmas Tree
Let the Stormy Spirit sing
Bolts of lightning have split the sky
And the council do some grovelling

You will get a tempermental feeling When you view it minging
"Hear the wally; Deck the town with a big ould folly"
Knocking it down, the Christmas Tree
That you have got to pay
Everyone's dancing merrily
When it is taken away

Would be nice if there was a decent singer that can record the song in the studio and play it on www.foot.ie, the world's favourite website!!

**Thunderblaster** · 27/11/2006, 5:57 PM

The chattering classes in Westport, in their wisdom, inform us that (a) the tree was allegedly not insured

and (b) it is allegedly coming back to haunt us next year

. Any Westport forumite out there able to concur with this unofficial information spouting around the town?

**Thunderblaster** · 29/11/2006, 11:24 PM

A natural Christmas tree has been erected and I took a picture of it.

The thrashy tree that got decapitated got a write up on the local rag!!

**Thunderblaster** · 01/12/2006, 5:20 PM

Originally Posted by Thunderblaster

A natural Christmas tree has been erected and I took a picture of it.

Justice Is Being Served!!.jpg

What do you think boys and girls?

**Thunderblaster** · 01/12/2006, 5:57 PM

Originally Posted by Connaught Telegraph

Oops!

The half-assembled Christmas tree at The Octagon in Westport took a tumble last week, thanks to some strong mid-week winds.

The artificial tree, boasting 40,000 lights, has been the centrepiece of the town's lighting arrangement over the past few years.

According to the town clerk, Ms. Ann Moore, town council staff were in the process of putting up the tree last week when strong winds on Wednesday night/Thursday morning saw it blown over. The tree, she explained, normally takes a few days to put together.

Fortunately, no one was injured when it fell and no damage was caused to any vehicles or other property.

The tree, which cost around €20,000, was damaged and the extent of that damage is being examined.

Ms. Moore said the tree would be repaired, but not in time for this Christmas.

A real tree has been sourced and that should be in place this week.

From Wednesday's paper.

**Thunderblaster** · 01/12/2006, 6:43 PM

The views of the Westport-based Mayo News, whose article raised a few eyebrows.

Originally Posted by Mayo News

Damaged Christmas tree is irreparable for the festive season

FEARS that Westport would have to do without a Christmas tree as the centrepiece of its seasonal lighting scheme were allayed last week, following a decision by the Town Council to erect a natural tree in place of the artificial tree that was damaged in the storms last week.

The Town Council had started work on erecting the artificial tree and the trunk and the upper layers were in place when winds as strong as 100 and 120kph struck sometime between 11pm and 6am on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. The winds snapped the trunk and the upper layers of the tree were also damaged.

According to the Town Council Architect, Mr Simon Wall, the damage to the tree was such that it was not possible to have it ready for Christmas. "We can get it repaired but not in time for this Christmas. The sections will have to be returned to France and there just isn't enough time to have the work completed," he said.

Despite the disappointment of not having the tree for Christmas, Mr Wall is adamant that the town will look as well as ever with a natural tree. "It means we all have to rally around and that is what is going to happen. It's disappointing for everyone, particularly the children, because the tree looked so well but there is nothing really we could do about it. We had to source a natural tree as quickly as possible and hopefully it will be up and lit by the middle of the week," he said.

Westport Town Council spent in the region of €60,000 on Christmas decorations three years ago, of which about one-third went on the tree. The tree, which was imported from France, had its detractors in the town at first, and there was criticism of the decision by the Council to move away from the natural tree. The tree was dogged by controversy from the first year when it took longer than expected to have it erected. However, as time has moved on, it has become an accepted part of Christmas in the town centre with its spectacular lighting system and location at the heart of the Octagon. The Council expects to have it back in working order for Christmas next year.

The Christmas lights in Westport will be officially switched on by Westport Town Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr Teresa McGuire, after 7:30pm Mass this Saturday evening. Westport Choral Society will perform carols at the ceremony.

Boys and girls, your feedbck is important on this article. The locals thougt that it was balloney and did not like the apology for no artificial tree. The apology should be for spending excessive money on an eyesore. The article has miscalculated the mood of the public over the tree IMO.