John Lewis steps aside, Cork can do it even better.
This year’s sensational Christmas advertisement from the Ballygarvan family business, the Pavilion Garden Center and Café, will have you wiping your eyes.
The ad tells the heartwarming Christmas Eve story of a grandmother and granddaughter and stars longtime Cork Theater actor Berna Gordon, presenter Frank Twomey, and Lucy McGuirk, 10, from Glasheen.
This is the first time Lucy has appeared onscreen – although she has been studying drama with Shirley McCarthy since she was a young child.
The Pavilion advertisement, filmed on location in Douglas by Cork-based Dog Day Media, shows Lucy and her grandmother preparing the house for Christmas. But as excited as Grandma is, one thing is missing: her older brother, Frank, whom she hasn’t seen in two years thanks to the lockdowns and restrictions of Covid-19.
But Lucy, who is seen helping her grandmother choose her outfit, set the table and tidy up the Christmas lights, has another trick up her sleeve … she secretly planned that Uncle Frank goes to Cork to spend Christmas with her sister. This year.
As the family arrive and the gifts are exchanged, Lucy shares a knowing smile with her grandmother as the doorbell unexpectedly rings and her brother Frank arrives. The best gift of all.
Advertising star Lucy McGuirk of Glasheen said her favorite thing about Christmas was when everyone “got together.” And the announcement hit near her home as she too missed loved ones at the Christmas table last year and said she was thrilled to be reunited with her grandmother, grandfather, uncle and her aunt for dinner this year.
Lucy, who is in fourth class at Gaelscoil Ui Riada in Wilton, said she was waiting until tonight to write her letter to Santa Claus for Christmas because the Toy Show may brainstorm ideas.
Lucy’s mother Dorene says her daughter landed the job after Shirley McCarthy told them about the role.
“She asked Lucy to record a 30 second video about how we didn’t have Christmas last year and how looking forward to Christmas we are this year. Shirley sent it to the Pavilion and they selected it … it was probably his facial expressions! ”
Lucy’s mother said the family, like many of us, hadn’t celebrated Christmas as usual last year, and her daughter is “really looking forward to it” this year.
For now, big Hollywood stars are not calling Lucy’s name because the 10-year-old has said the acting was “just for fun”. Moreover, she is busy winning gold medals in running, playing camogie, soccer and tennis too.
Charlie O’Leary of The Pavilion said the company wants to end the year on a positive note with a message of gratitude and hope: “Gratitude for the people who matter to us and hope the year ahead will be. brighter for all of us.
“As a local Cork family business, we feel immense gratitude to our customers who have supported us as we walked an unknown path and we sincerely wish all of our customers a very happy, healthy and peaceful family Christmas this year. . “
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