Ghostly goings-on with Greenlight

IT’S hard to believe it is now seven years since the Gateway gang became involved in the Ballycastle Hallowe’en Community Festivities and this year promises to be a year with a real difference.

As Director of Greenlight Gateway Ann McIlroy explained: “Right through Hallowe’en until 3rd November we are extending a warm and spooky welcome to one and all to our Garden Centre at Leyland Road.

“For the younger ones we have our Ghostbusters Events and Magical Trails each day with workshops and friendly ghosts at 11.30 am and movies from 2.30pm. To keep everyone’s body and soul together we are transforming our Coffee Shop into the Black Cat Café with stomach churning creations like our Norn Irish Witches Stew and Devils Tails among other delights on an amazing Hallowe’en Menu. And don’t worry the garden centre will be stocked full of beautiful seasonal plants and planters and ready to serve both our regular and new customers.”

Ann with Frank Nealis, another of the team involved in the festivities go on to explained: “After many years of decorating and haunting the community centre at The Sheskburn and endless hours of setting up and taking down, we had some thinking to do.

“We decided this year with Moyle Gateway not in a position to take it all on any more, that we should do something a little different that would make the best use of the wonderful facilities we have here at our Garden Centre...and so was born at the eleventh hour the week’s festivities and our new Haunted Trails.”

Ann’s son Ryan McIlroy continued: “This Haunted Trails will be a new thrilling outdoor and indoor experience and an opportunity to come face to face with your nightmares and fears...and even a few flying ghosts.

“You can walk through our eerie pumpkin patch and meet the allotment scarecrows. There will be a trail of mortifying scenes and strange creatures, our specially built graveyard and headstones and even The Black Nun awaits. We will also have a special indoor haunted mansion and of course The Black Cat Café will be open serving food, showing movies, playing Halloween games and be a warm place to shelter from the wind and possible rain.”

The New Haunted Trail is open to all daring souls on Tuesday 30th and Wednesday 31st October from 7pm. As ever follow the Searchlights beams to Leyland Road this year. You can find out all about it on Facebook, or call us on 02820761110