With only 529 days to go to the new millennium, one bright idea for the celebrations is to illuminate all the Liffey bridges in Dublin one after the other in a "Mexican wave of light".
This project yesterday won the "Dream it for 21st Century Dublin" competition organised by Mile Atha Cliath, Dublin's millennium Partnership. The idea was dreamed up by Mr Robbie Cahill (22) from Dublin's Liberties who was the overall winner among the six shortlisted in different categories.
Mr Cahill's winning idea in the river projects category entails lighting all the Liffey bridges in succession at the stroke of midnight, December 31st, 1999. However, he hopes the lighting of the bridges will be a permanent feature afterwards.
The awards were announced at a ceremony in the Mansion House, hosted by the new Lord Mayor, Cllr Joe Doyle, at his first official function there.
Senator Feargal Quinn from Superquinn, one of the sponsors, said more than 400 entries had been received.
The other winners were Ms Patricia Carney of Athboy, Co Meath, who suggested building an inner-city playground designed solely by local children; Mr David Redmond, from Wexford, proposed a musical street party in Dublin with different landmarks across the city playing host to different county presentations.
Mr Liam Burke, from Lucan, would like the people of Dublin to place their handprints and signatures on the walls of the Liffey to be preserved for future generations, and Ms Pauline Sharkey from Raheny won in her category with a proposal for new millennium street signs.
The youngest category winner was Meabh Kirwan-Keane (11), from Castleknock, who had an idea for a millennium tapestry, along the lines of the Bayeux Tapestry, which would chart the course of Dublin's history.