Christmas was in the air yesterday at the Mansion House in Dublin as Lord Mayor Paddy Bourke launched the city's programme of festive events.
There was disappointing news, however, for ice-skating fans as it was announced that the highly popular rink at Smithfield would not be operating this year.
Amid a flurry of fake snow, Cllr Bourke said: "We want Dublin city to be a fun place to be at Christmas time, providing a full range of activities."
Dublin City Business Association (DBA) is co-ordinating various businesses and agencies to provide an array of festivities throughout the city.
Cllr Bourke said: "We're not competing with each other; a lot of these functions are free."
The motivation behind the Christmas programme was to "ensure that people still come in to the city", said Dublin City Council spokeswoman Siobhán Maher. On a regular trading day the average footfall on Grafton St and Henry St is 86,000, but in November and December that increases to 140,000, with 1.5 million people served over weekends in December, said Tom Coffey, DBA chief executive.
Festivities will begin on November 18th with the unveiling of the new Grafton St Christmas lights, and continue with the Festival of Light on November 25th on O'Connell St. "We think this year the lighting display will be the best ever," said Mr Coffey. New lights from a French company Blachere, which designed those on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, will decorate Talbot St, North Earl St and Grafton St.
Smithfield ice rink, which has operated for the past five years, will not take place this year due to a dissolution of the partnership between RSVP Event Management and Cousins Entertainment Ltd. Smithfield On Ice had become one of the most popular features of the city's Christmas programme.
Events taking place this year include guided walks to meet the "reindeer" of the Phoenix Park, a Christmas open day at Collins Barracks, and a live animal crib at the Mansion House, Dawson St, from December 10th to 24th, with free admission. Proceeds from the crib and other events will go to the lord mayor's Fuel Fund and various other charities.
Information on these and other events is available at www.dublincity.ie