WALKING through the twin towns of Killaloe and Ballina this weekend, you could have been forgiven for thinking that time had somehow skipped forward by about six months, and not just because of the miserable weather.
Local businesses and homes were decked with colourful fairy lights, with snowmen and Santas and Christmas trees on display, much to the bemusement of visiting tourists.
The unseasonable festive cheer was the result of a heartwarming local social media campaign called ‘Light up for Sebastian’.
Businesses and individuals in the area were urged to dig out their Christmas decorations to recreate a winter wonderland for a terminally ill four-year-old boy, Sebastian McLoughlin from Ballina, and they answered the call in their droves.
This show of solidarity was not just confined to Sebastian’s neighbours and friends.
The story of the little boy who loved Christmas touched the hearts of the nation when his dad Conor appealed to the listeners of RTÉ’s Ray D’Arcy Show last week.
The McLoughlin family took to the airwaves asking for members of the public to lend them Christmas-related items to help them celebrate one last, very special Christmas with Sebastian on Saturday, as he has been given just weeks to live due to a brain tumour.
Something about their story struck a chord with everyone who heard it, and the radio show was soon overwhelmed with offers of donations from people all over the country.
The family received seven offers of helicopters to transport Santa, as well as a number of Garda cars. Others came forward with bouncy castles, costumes, cakes, an inflatable grotto, and even a sleigh, while one little boy offered to give Sebastian his Communion money.
Another campaign asked members of the public to send Sebastian a Christmas card, which saw staff at Killaloe Post Office inundated with cards sent from all over the country.
Sadly, none of these things will make Sebastian better, but hopefully the outpouring of support will be of some comfort to his family in the weeks and months ahead.
It also had the effect of restoring many people’s faith in humanity as it brought out the good in people, many of whom went out of their way to help a complete stranger in whatever way they could.
