Killarney's 19th-century town clock, which has been silent and out of time for much of its life, will today be "switched on", along with the Christmas lights.
For close on half a century, the fixing of the town clock has featured on the agendas of meetings of Killarney Town Council, turning up at least twice yearly.
Some five years ago, "getting the clock going again", was set aside as a millennium project. The Mayor of Killarney, Mr Michael Courtney (Ind) and the former chairman of Cork-Kerry tourism, said there were difficulties with insurance, with automating the mechanism and there was also the fact that the building , the original town hall, was in private ownership and had gone through a number of hands.
The slow time of the Killarney town clock, smack in the centre of town, had become something of an Irish joke among tourists.
"All the tourists were laughing at us. It was an embarrassment," Mr Courtney said.
The clock dates to 1887 and, like a cuckoo clock, operated on two sets of weights. These were in two different premises. To gain access to the clock tower, council workers had to remove ceiling tiles and erect ladders, Mr Denis O'Connor, town engineer, explained.
The clock required one hour a week manual winding, which over the years was done in fits and starts. This meant the clock stopped at various hours. He paid tribute to Abbey Travel, owners of the building, for their co-operation.
Not remembered by most, the clock also had a distinctive "mild chime" and this, along with the workings of the clock, has now been automated. The Killarney clock will ring again on the hour and on the half-hour.
The original Roman numeral face and hands are being retained, along with the original copper bell. The old mechanism is being cleaned by Stokes Clocks in Cork who have carried out the automation. Eventually, it will end up in the town museum, Mr O'Connor said.