For people who hate Auld Lang Syne, one option is to outdo the sound of the traditional verse with the ringing of bells.
One of those who welcomes the new year to the sound of bells is Limerick man Pat Hanley, who is beginning his 57th year as a member of Mount St Alphonsus Bell Ringers Society.
During 50 years of marriage, he has celebrated the new year with his wife just once, when he was ill.
On all the other occasions, he leaves home at about 11.20 p.m. on New Year's Eve to make his way to the Redemptorist church on South Circular Road where he will ring out the old year and ring in the new.
"We generally would start pealing at about 11.50 p.m. In the tower afterwards, we might have a glass of wine and a few mince pies."
The society was founded in 1879 and holds the record for winning the all-Ireland championship the most times. It has a close relationship with the city's other "tower" of bell ringers at St Mary's cathedral, who are the current holders of the all-Ireland award, the Murphy Cup.
Both towers, members of the Irish Association of Change Ringers, are looking for new recruits.
"There is great co-operation. It is the only way we can exist at the moment because it is very difficult to get new people interested, to get the commitment from them. We could do certainly with four or five more people," Mr Hanley says.
Although there is a strong tradition of families passing on the craft from generation to generation, Mr Hanley says he took up the hobby accidentally in 1945 when he and a friend were outside the Redemptorist church one evening.
"We were waiting for two young ladies to come out of a novena," he says. While waiting, they went up to the tower and were immediately press-ganged into playing hand-bells.
From then on he has been hooked and has been joined since by one of his sons.
It takes three months to get proficient with the bells, Mr Hanley adds. The ringers have to have a feel for the balance of the bells as they swing and an ear for their tone while working with another seven or eight ringers.
"Striking must be perfect. When you get good striking, it is a joy to listen to and the ordinary guy in the street will realise that."
He looks on with dismay at the tendency to introduce electronic bells. "These are the ones we hate to see going into towers. There is nothing like the genuine article."