The arrival of the Holly Bough on newsstands across the city and county this week will signal the beginning of the countdown to Christmas in Cork for many.
First published back in 1897, this year marks the 129th year of the festive publication, which is staple for households not just across Cork, but among the diaspora around the world.
The colourful cover art for this year’s edition was created by Cork artist Susan Mulcahy of Saucy Pups.
The scene, depicting the Lough, is one that will be recognisable to many.
“My vision of it was that it was the Lough without any people, which is actually unusual for me. I normally have people bustling around in the background, but I wanted this to be like very early on a Christmas morning when it’s just the ducks and the geese out there. And I just thought it’d be fun that they’d all be wearing Christmas hats and that they’d be all having their own little Christmas while it’s like still and the air is crispy and there’s nobody around,” said Susan.
The Cork artist vividly remembers driving past the Lough as a child at Christmas after her family would visit friends or relatives.
“The Christmas lights in the crib are on, and the little kind of lanterns all around are lit, and it just gives me Central Park vibes with the lighting at night. And it’s always just a cosy feeling of, do you know that song, Driving Home for Christmas? They’re all kind of tied together in my head, just that feeling of being young, going home, and you’re cosy in the backseat of the car, and it’s Christmas time, and like the air feels like it’s Christmas time. It’s all very exciting.” Susan is very proud to be a part of the 2026 Holly Bough.
“Seeing the covers by Jason O’Gorman and Fiona Foley, I thought it was so cool. I had my eyes set on it for years and thought, wouldn’t I love to do something like that. It’s like being a part of history of Cork. It’s genuinely an honour.”
This year’s edition features a host of fascinating stories and interviews with plenty of history, sports, arts and entertainment across 164 pages.
It also features a much-expanded reader picture gallery section.
“I was really struck by the sheer volume of letters and pictures from readers over the past year who spoke of the importance of the Holly Bough to their families, and to their Christmas traditions. We received pictures of families with the Holly Bough on milestone birthdays, family trips, at weddings, even meeting their grandchildren for the first time.
“For many, getting the Holly Bough at Christmas is something that has been passed down through the generations, and it is really special to see how today, it’s a tradition that they continue to pass down to their children,” said Holly Bough editor Mary Corcoran.
The 2026 edition also features all the usual favourites including our children’s section, the Diffney, the Film Quiz and the Humdinger, as well as the crossword. It also includes a selection of short stories and poems, with the artwork for our fiction section created by the talented students at Coláiste Éamann Rís.