In advance of the winter season and the darker nights ahead, Kilkenny Night Time Economy Initiative and Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce have again teamed up to announce a ‘Light Up, Light Up’ campaign, aimed at enhancing safety and fostering a sense of community in Kilkenny City Centre.
This initiative is a key aspect of a wider Safe & Sound campaign for Kilkenny City, which forms part of Kilkenny County Council’s Night Time Economy Strategy. The campaign is a direct response to public feedback around promoting safety initiatives that will enhance the night time experience in Kilkenny City for visitors and residents alike.
Feargus Dunne, Kilkenny City’s Night Time Advisor commented, “We are happy to support ‘Light Up, Light Up’ again for 2026. Safety is a key pillar of the Kilkenny City Night Time Economy action plan, and this simple initiative brightens our public streetscapes, by incentivising businesses in the city centre to leave at least one light on in their shopfront during night hours. In doing so, we are all contributing to making the city feel even more welcoming, for locals and visitors who are working, socialising, or exercising on our streets over the winter months.”
Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce President, Claire McInerney Brown added, “We at Kilkenny Chamber are really pleased to again support the ‘Light Up, Light Up’ this winter. The business community in Kilkenny is actively involved in ensuring we offer a friendly and safe experience for all visitors to the city, and this scheme will be a simple but useful enhancement at nighttime in this regard.”
Running from late October 2026 to late January 2027, the ‘Light Up, Light Up’ campaign calls on city centre businesses to keep a light on until 1 am over the winter period.
Recognising the importance of sustainability, the campaign encourages the use of energy-efficient lighting. Many businesses now use LED lights, which are both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. City centre businesses can contribute by keeping just one single shopfront or light on, to help light up the streets whilst maintaining lower energy consumption and being mindful of biodiversity considerations in the city.
How to Get Involved:
Businesses interested in participating must complete a registration form and return it to Kilkenny Chamber. This form can be obtained by calling 089 2553585 or emailing info@kilkennychamber.ie . Participants must commit to leaving a light on in their storefronts during the winter period. In order to support the additional energy costs that this could add to businesses, a limited number of participating businesses will be offered a subsidy of €200 (including VAT) through Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce.
The campaign also encourages participants to share photos of their illuminated businesses on social media, tagging Kilkenny County Council and Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce using the hashtags #LightUpLightUpKK, #NTEKilkenny
