A Waterford Crystal creation which is to form the centrepiece of New York's millennium celebrations is to be flown to the United States next week for assembly.
In the biggest and most expensive project ever undertaken by the company, Waterford has manufactured the "millennium ball" to be used in the New Year celebrations in Times Square, Manhattan.
The ball, a geodesic sphere six feet in diameter, is made up of 2,500 crystal triangles and presented its makers with exceptional technical and design challenges, such as how to make a structure capable of withstanding extreme weather.
Parts were tested in wind tunnels to ensure they could withstand winds of up to 60 m.p.h if necessary, while the possibility of sub-zero temperatures, rain and snow all had to be taken into account.
The construction is to be a gift to New York City, but the company expects to recoup its costs through the massive exposure which will result.
Some 500,000 people gather around Times Square to ring in each new year, and the event is broadcast to more than a billion viewers worldwide.
The year 2000 will be counted in as the 500 lb. Waterford Crystal ball, lit up for the occasion, is lowered down a 77 ft flagpole to a height of 22 storeys above the square.
The ball is likely to be used for the Times Square new year celebrations for the next few years.
"It will be great, not just for Waterford Crystal, to have an Irish-made product in such a prominent position," a company spokesman said.
"All of the United States watches the Times Square celebration. That's the actual moment when the new year is considered to be in."
The mayor of Waterford, Alderman Pat Hayes, will travel to New York next week to formally present the millennium ball to his New York counterpart, Mr Rudolph Giuliani.
