There are many wonderful things that go with the Christmas period. It could be cosying up beside the fire to a festive film or meeting the family for some mulled wine. One of the greatest parts of the holidays is the hustle and bustle of the busy streets. The Winter Lights in Dublin make this experience even more magical.
The Winter Lights are festive projections on buildings around the City Centre. Dublin City Council launched the project in 2018 to create an excellent ambience to the streets. The displays include an array of colours splattered with stars, moons, snowflakes, snow-covered trees and everything in between.
The projections shine onto iconic buildings and landmarks in Dublin. The list includes The GPO, Trinity College Dublin, City Hall, The Custom House, Christ Church Cathedral, The Civic Offices, The Hugh Lane, The Mansion House and Covanta Dublin Waste to Energy Plant at Poolbeg.
Other landmarks that are lit up as part of the programme include the Millennium Bridge, the Samuel Beckett Bridge and street spaces such as O’Connell Street, Parliament Street and Smithfield Square.
The original lineup did not include Christ Church Catherdral or Smithfield Square. In 2019, however, they joined in with some special features. On New Year’s Eve, the cathedral’s projection turned from a 2D animation to a 3D spectacle to ring in the coming year with a bang. Lightspace worked with DCC to create this.
As soon as the sun sets in the dark winter days, the lights begin to spread their fascinating illuminations right across the city. The Winter Lights project all evening until 2 am when silly season party-goers may be heading home. This happens every night from December 1st until New Year’s Day.
For the 2019 season, Dublin City Council Culture Company worked with community groups and artists to produce the intricate designs for The Hugh Lane Gallery, the Civic Offices and the Samuel Beckett Bridge.
157,800 low power LEDs, 100 tonnes of equipment and 15,780 metres of cable are needed to power the 14 colourful patterns around the city. The display is also eco-friendly. The type of lights that power the projections use less than 80% than older models. The Samuel Beckett Bridge’s lights use less electrical power than a household iron or 10 household bulbs.
Considering the number of resources needed to power this display and the number of locations that are lit up, this is excellent news. It’s also great because in general, Christmas can be a wasteful time.
The lights are certain to make your walk through the city a lot more Christmassy. Imagine it, you’re heading home from work, meeting some friends for some dinner or finishing off some late night shopping. Instantly, you feel warmer inside as you pass the projections.
To share your festive snaps, use the hashtag #winterlightsdublin.
Have you seen the Winter Lights around Dublin in recent years? What was your favourite one, and why? Let us know down in the comments! Check out this list that we put together of the most festive areas of the city.
