Six well-known Limerick personalities share their 'favourite Christmas present ever'

Celia Holman Lee, CEO of Holman Lee Agency

FASHION icon and well-known model agency CEO, Celia Holman Lee shares a precious story of love, keepsakes, and a sprinkle of nostalgia.

Keeping a babydoll for over 70 years in her attic, Celia never forgot the cherished memories of the toy she received at the age of six or seven.

“They were all the rage and very popular those times, and my dear mother went off and got me one,” she said.

Rummaging the antique toy out of her loft for a photograph, the nostalgia came flooding back.

“That doll sticks out in my mind and I’m lucky that I still have her,” Celia said.

“I was very young, and in those times, there weren’t many surprises. We woke up on Christmas Day and the doll was just sitting there. Gifting was different in those times.

“It’s memories for me and I’m thrilled that I kept the doll all these years and looked after her. When I played with her I adored her, thanks to my incredible mother.”

Peter Nash, Limerick footballer / Hurling Development Officer

ONE LIMERICK senior footballer turns out to be a gamer too, it seems, as Peter Nash divulges his multi-faceted interests through what he says was his favourite Christmas present ever.

“It was a PlayStation 2 in limited edition silver,” he recalled.

“I asked for a PlayStation 2 but the silver edition was a surprise!”

The Limerick City Hurling Development Officer and Kildimo-Pallaskenry man said he received the console at age 10 in 2002.

“I still have it and it still works,” Peter said.

“Myself and my brother spent that whole Christmas playing FIFA 2002 and so many of the following years playing other games on it. Might even break it out this year to get more enjoyment out of it than it’s already given me!”

Peter won the inaugural Golden Boot Award for the 2023 Limerick Senior Football Championship.

Mick Dolan, Owner of Dolan’s Limerick

HOUSEHOLD name Mick Dolan recalls an unforgettable memory he has of surprise concert tickets he received to see one of his all-time favourite musicians.

“I got a present from my nephew, Ivan McMahon, to see one of my favourite artists, Tom Waits, perform in the Phoenix Park in Dublin around 15 years ago,” he said.

“It was a surprise. It was an incredible experience.”

Tom Waits is known for his unique blend of jazz, blues, and rock. He rose to prominence in the 1970s with albums like Closing Time and Small Change.

Owning a renowned music venue in the heart of Limerick city on the Docklands, concerts are the focal point of Mick’s trade and music accounts for a huge portion of his life, with Dolans being an iconic spot for audiences and musicians alike for 30 years.

“I had always wanted to see this artist live [Tom Waits]. I will never forget it!,” he said.

Chloe Walsh, Influencer / Entrepreneur

FOR CHLOE Walsh, nothing beats flight tickets in her stocking at Christmas, as “going on little city breaks” are her and boyfriend Andrew La Touche’s “favourite thing to do”.

“For Christmas 2022, my boyfriend surprised me with a trip to Budapest,” she said.

“It was the best trip, filled with so much fun and adventure and we got to spend time together exploring another city of Europe. It was a total surprise present for Christmas.

“We started off our trip at the Zoo Cafe where they have animals crawling around everywhere while you have a coffee, it was so fun!”

The 27-year-old said they also visited other tourist attractions like St Stephen’s Basilica, The Light Art Museum, the Széchenyi Thermal Baths “and we finished off our trip at the secret garden spa” at the hotel.

“The highlight moment was spending time together and exploring another new place because that’s what life is all about travelling and exploring the world.”

Eve Stafford, Soprano singer / Network Limerick

FOR SOPRANO singer Eve Stafford, becoming a Spice Girl was the dream at age nine.

A memory that stands out for the newly-elected Network Limerick President 2025 is something of mischief and tears, before delight.

“My favourite present I got was the Spice World album, on tape, from my big brother, Robert.

“What’s funny is he gave me a lump of coal first! When I was a kid, I was a devil for trying to guess what the presents were under the tree.

“I couldn’t figure out this one present, I was shaking it and it was an irregular shape. I was ready to burst out crying when I opened it.

“My brother then, behind his back, gave me the Spice Girls tape. I was then screaming and running around the house, delighted with myself.”

Eve says to this day, her favourite Spice Girl was Posh Spice, albeit “she wasn’t the best singer”. She received the gift in 1997, with her favourite song being ‘Two Become One’.

Conor Sheehan TD, Labour politician

FOR NEWLY-elected Labour TD Conor Sheehan, he cast his mind back to the early 2000’s, where he got a “big, clunky desktop computer” from Santa at age 10 or 11.

“The thing was slower than a Sunday afternoon in November, but I loved it,” he said.

“I used to play the Sims when I was a child. My other favourite present I got when I was 12 was a go-kart. It was black with red seats.

“It was a pedal go-kart and it had a back seat, but if somebody who was too heavy sat on the back the whole thing tipped over.”

Saying that, the Windows XP computer “was a surprise”, the now 31-year-old had asked for the go-kart because “one of the neighbours had one.”

“I used the computer for donkey's years. I’ve a funny feeling we still have it in the attic.  I thought it was the height of technology and I remember playing solitaire on the thing. I grew out of the go-kart but had great fun on it.”