Cork families go head to head in 'Battle of the Christmas lights' TV show

ALL neighbours can get a bit competitive when it comes to the Christmas decorations. You want your lights to shine bigger and better than next door’s; you want your tree and decorations to be that bit more luxurious...

A TV show tonight (Saturday, November 27) will pit together two Cork families and neighbours, as they try to outdo each other on the festive front and win a fabulous prize.

Called Battle Of The Christmas Lights, the two-part show starts on Virgin Media 1 at 7pm.

We head to Cork, where neighbouring families, the Murphys and the O’Mahonys, have accepted the challenge to be Ireland’s Christmas champions.

They might be friendly neighbours the rest of the time, but this is no laughing matter with a year’s free shopping in Homestore + More up for grabs by the winner.

“We get on great with the O’Mahonys next door, we’re so lucky to have them as our neighbours, but that’s all on hold now, we’re in it to win it. Pride’s at stake, like - and the fantastic prize”, says Noreen Murphy, mum of Lily, 11, and Danny, 10. 

Noreen leads the charge for the Murphys in the show, with the help of her Christmas crazed sister, Áine.

 “We love Christmas and we’re determined to be champions. Go big or go home, that’s the way I see it”, said Áine with a steely grin.

Jess and Evan are team O’Mahony and they have their two kids, Harvey, 6, and Darcy, 2, primed to be best in show!

Jess, pictured on the TV Week cover with Darcy, says: “Yeah, bring it on, we’re ready, we’re a great team and we work best under pressure.

“We won’t fall out with Noreen and her gang over this, but we won’t go easy on them either. We got this.”

Evan nods in agreement: “We’re going to smash it. Noreen’s good at Christmas but we’re going to win for the bragging rights!”

Evan’s Auntie Aileen has stepped in to bolster team O’Mahony and says: “Jess and Evan and the kids get on great with Noreen and her kids but this is different, this is about local pride, we’re going to light up this neighbourhood like never before. Bring it on!”

The two families face a number of festive challenges, from Yuletide baking to building and decorating a Christmas tree within an hour time limit.

The final and most exciting of the challenges is The Big Light Up Challenge, where the families must light and decorate the outside of their houses like never before, lighting up the nation for Christmas.

“Our house will be seen from the International Space Station”, says Evan O’Mahony. 

“Air traffic control in Cork Airport are going to be wondering what the hell is going on”, says Noreen Murphy.