The next 24 hours could see O'Connell Street changed forever as the final sections of Dublin's Spire are due to be lifted into place.
A window of calm wind conditions, forecast for 3 a.m. this morning, prompted plans to add the remaining four sections of the spire onto the first two sections already in place.
Spire engineer Mr Michael O'Neill said that up to 25 men were asked to turn up for work at 3 a.m. Weather-permitting, specialists in lifting and cranework will erect sections three, four, five and six, one at a time until all six sections are in place and the spire is fully erected.
"There is a damper, which dampens down any sway, that can't be tuned until the spire is completed. Putting all the remaining sections up in one go is the most stable way to do this," Mr O'Neill said last night.
All the sections are already on site "so the crane can reach them", except for the tip which was due to leave Waterford at 1 a.m. Light will not be a problem for the specialists as the street is floodlit and work on the inside of the spire normally depends upon artificial light.
For each section a team of specialists will guide the bottom of one section onto the top of another taking up to six hours per section.
"The crane man has the call on whether or not to go ahead. It's a major operation and health and safety is paramount. If there's a gale blowing they'll wait. They'll take no chances," said Mr O'Neill.
According to a Dublin City Council spokeswoman, "a lot of work has yet to be done near the base of the spire".