On The Town: About 900 people raised their voices in song at the annual carol service at College Chapel in Maynooth on Wednesday night. The music of Adeste Fideles almost raised the roof of the 19th-century chapel as the celebrations came to a close.
"The Christmas story makes breathtaking demands on us," said Mgr Dermot Farrell, president of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, in the introductory prayer. "The story of the wise men calls us to realise that there are outsiders in our worlds that may hear more deeply the voice of God than many of us who think ourselves insiders."
The story of Santa, meanwhile, "reminds us that children come first and it reminds us of the value of freely giving without expecting anything in return", he said.
The carol service "ends the year for me, it's the completion of the year", said Betty Costin, from Kilcock, Co Kildare, who was there with her husband, John Joe Costin, landscape designer of the Millennium Gardens in the college.
"I loved the whole thing, this beautiful church, the many choirs," said sculptor Imogen Stuart, who was there with her old friend, Fr Nicholas Madden.
Conor and Alex Mallaghan, from Carton House Golf Club outside Maynooth, also enjoyed the evening. Eminent economist and former civil servant Dr TK Whitaker, who remarried this year, was there with his wife, Mary.
"This for me is the beginning of Christmas. When the choir begins its first notes, I know Christmas has begun," said Don Thornhill, chairman of the National Competitiveness Council, who was attending his twelfth carol service in the college chapel, along with Michael Kelly, chairman of the Higher Education Authority.
The carol service "is an opportunity for us to gather our thoughts and prayers", said Fr Enda Cunningham, director of formation at St Patrick's College, Maynooth.
As the sacred music faded away, guests made their way out of the chapel's 454 carved oak stalls and set off for Pugin Hall to enjoy a late supper. Christmas was truly in the air