The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr John Stafford, switched on the Christmas tree lights in a wet and windy O'Connell Street yesterday evening. He thanked the small crowd for turning up and "braving the elements" and paid tribute to the O'Connell Street business firms for erecting lights and bunting to brighten up the capital's main thoroughfare for the Christmas season.
Ten choirs from the city combined to sing Christmas carols and outside the GPO the Phoenix Jazz Band blasted out a number of Dixieland numbers. The festive music brought some cheer to a sodden and depressing O'Connell Street and a number of well-wrapped citizens stamped their feet in appreciation.
The Lord Mayor patiently posed for photographs with Santa Claus. Both seemed oblivious to the sheets of rain forming puddles around their feet.
Earlier, the choirs sang traditional carols at the Bank of Ireland building at College Green. At 5.30 p.m. they walked in procession to O'Connell Street for the official switching on of the lights on the 45-foot-high tree.
The occasion was availed of by the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland to publicise its national fund-raising appeal. The association is hoping to establish a heart and lung transplant unit in Ireland.