Well-known Dublin sites to be lit up for 30 days over Christmas

Council announces illuminations at 12 locations as part of ‘Winter Lights Dublin City’

A look down Dublin’s Grafton Street at Christmas. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times/File photo
A look down Dublin’s Grafton Street at Christmas. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times/File photo

Dublin city will be lit up for Christmas with a series of illuminations so bright they will be visible from planes arriving at Dublin Airport.

Dublin City Council has announced Winter Lights Dublin City, which will see 12 sites in Dublin illuminated for 30 nights using customised projections from early December to early January.

The project is building on similar projections and light displays in Paris and Sydney. A spokeswoman said Winter Lights is a "totally new concept for Dublin city".

Among the buildings due to be lit up are City Hall, Liberty Hall, the civic offices on Wood Quay, the Mansion House and the Customs House.

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New seasonal lighting will be installed at locations including Samuel Beckett Bridge, Millennium Bridge and Parliament Street.

The council says the illuminations will use 157,900 low light LEDs and 15,780 metres of cable. One of the bridge illuminations will use less electric power than a domestic iron or 10 household light bulbs.

A council spokeswoman said: "We have created Winter Lights Dublin City to bring Christmas lights and building projections to more locations and people than ever before.

“This means that it is not a single event but takes place over thirty nights to give everyone the opportunity and space to experience the lights and projections, at a time that suits them.”

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times