A wave of celebrations illuminated the skies above cities around the world including Dublin last night as millions of people welcomed the New Year with spectacular firework displays and light shows.
More than 25,000 people attended Dublin’s New Year’s Eve festival with pyrotechnics and laser light shows illuminating the river and the sky at the Custom House twice during the evening.
The Liffey Lights Midnight Moment Matinee lights display was held at the river side from 6pm culminating with a faux “countdown spectacle”at 7pm.
This was followed by the Liffey Lights Midnight Moment and was followed the midnight countdown.
U2 frontman Bono watched a performance by his son Elijah, with his band Inhaler as part of the line up for the 3Countdown Concert in Dublin last night, which also featured Gavin James, Hudson Taylor and Wild Youth.
In the US, New York’s Times Square erupted with fireworks and cheers at the stroke of midnight as thousands of merrymakers braved pouring rain and watched the glowing New Year’s Eve ball complete its midnight descent to mark the start of 2019.
For the multitudes who gathered in the famed midtown Manhattan crossroads, the thrilling moment was reward for enduring hours of standing in a steady downpour during the waning hours of 2018.
Helping to keep spirits high was a slate of performers including Christina Aguilera, New Kids on the Block and Sting who entertained the resilient crowd. Many donned plastic rain ponchos and sported colorful, oversized top hats handed out by organizers.
"It was a bucket-list thing," said Daniela Ramous, a 34-year-old sales manager from McAllen, Texas. "You grow up watching it on TV, you see all the excitement. There's something magical about New York during this time of year."
The celebrations kicked off in Australia and this was followed by 20 hours of ringing in 2019. Happy New Year all.