Christmas came early to a wet and miserable Dublin tonight when the Lord Mayor Eibhlin Byrne switched on 100,000 lights on a 15 meter high Christmas tree on O'Connell Street.
The tree is the centre piece of the city's street lighting for Christmas and is the tallest ever erected in Ireland. The 100,000 LED lights surround 99 glass spheres of varying sizes
The energy efficient tree was designed by Blanchere, a French firm, who also created the lighting for the Eiffel Tower.
There will also be new lights in Henry St/Mary St, South Anne Street, St Andrew St., Trinity Street, North Earl Street, Talbot St and South Great Georges St. Their design was chosen by the businesses in each street to suit the character of their respective areas.
Commenting on the lights, Ms Byrne invited people to come into the city and experience them first-hand.
"Whether you want to enjoy a simple walk through the city, a coffee or serious shopping I believe that Dublin has something for all of us.
Most of all take the time to savour the magic of the city and keep old traditions like "coming to town to see the lights" alive for a new generation."