Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s newest recognised destination, which surrounds the UK and Ireland’s largest lake, is getting ready to celebrate Christmas with a record number of twinkle filled activities scheduled for the enjoyment of visitors to Lough Neagh & Its Waterways in 2013.
Visitors to the Lough Neagh destination can take a stroll around the Enchanted Winter Gardens in Antrim from 5th to 24th December, dash with Santa in Lisburn on 7th December, see Cinderella in Pantomime in Ballymena or take a road trip with the kids, right to Oxford Island, on the shores of the lough, where Craigavon will play host to a newly constructed magical Santa’s Wonderland.
The variety of events and activities available in Lough Neagh destination throughout December provide a sure way to get everyone excited about this special time of year, and offer young and old the opportunity to enjoy quality time with friends and family.
To investigate the age old claim of ‘something for everyone’ Lough Neagh Partnership asked a well-known local character to choose their top 5 things to do in Lough Neagh this Christmas and the findings were inspiring:
Con Law, former Isle of Man TT winner and owner of Lough Neagh’s largest passenger vessel, The Maid of Antrim, chose snow tubing with Santa at Craigavon Golf & Ski Centre, watching the Snow Queen at Ranfurly Arts & Visitor Centre in Dungannon, visiting the Festive Food Fair at the Burnavon in Cookstown, taking at trip to the Christmas Wonderland at the Jungle in Moneymore and taking in A Christmas Carol at the Old Courthouse in Antrim.
Eimear Kearney, Marketing Officer at Lough Neagh Partnership, said: “Lough Neagh & Its Waterways destination is delighted to be host to so many wonderful Christmas events which span right across our 90 mile circumference. As a mother of two young children myself it is a privilege to have so much for my family, our residents and our visitors to enjoy right on our doorsteps… and that is not all – for the first time ever Lough Neagh Partnership has tipped its cap in a nod to the environmental concerns of the Ramsar designation which positions our Lough as a wetland of international importance and has launched a community e-greeting card which can be shared from the Lough Neagh youtube channel at: www.youtube.com/loveloughneagh.
“Our classic e-greeting involved no culling of trees or emptying of pockets. We hope that the residents of Lough Neagh, our ex-pats and our cousins abroad spread the joy of a Lough Neagh Christmas and tip their own caps to all in a nod to their pride of their heritage.”
A full list of Christmas events across the Lough Neagh & Its Waterways destination can be found at: www.discoverloughneagh.com. You can also join Lough Neagh Partnership on facebook at:www.facebook.com/loughneaghanditswaterways and on twitter: @loveloughneagh