Video & Pictures: Cork's Holly Bough celebrates its 120th anniversary
John Dolan, Evening Echo features editor and editor of the Holly Bough, presents a framed page from 1963 to Pat Poland, who has been contributing to the Holly Bough for 54 years, at the launch of an exhibition marking 120 years of the publication at St Peter’s, North Main Street.
A CORKMAN who is the longest-serving contributor to the Holly Bough was yesterday presented with a framed picture of his first article for it more than half a century ago.
The presentation was made to Pat Poland at the launch of a new exhibition to mark 120 years of the annual Christmas publication at St Peter's Cork in North Main Street.
Poland, a former member of Cork Fire Brigade, wrote his first article for it aged 17 in 1963 and is still contributing to the Holly Bough 54 years later.
Editor John Dolan, who made the presentation, said: "The Holly Bough is written by the people, for the people, and Pat is a shining example of that."
The exhibition at St Peters will run all the way up to Christmas and features front pages of the Holly Bough down the years, as well as fascinating snippets about its history. The first Holly Bough in 1897 cost one penny and it has appeared every year since, apart from some wartime years when paper was in short supply.
This year's cover artist, Niall McCarthy, was also at the launch, and is having an exhibition of his work at Cork Airport throughout December.
