The annual St Patrick's pyrotechnics are set to light up Dublin's skyline tomorrow night with gardaí expecting up to 500,000 people to converge on the city centre for the event.
Organisers of this year's 7UP Skyfest have pledged to decommission 8,000 fireworks weighing six tonnes in the space of 20 minutes along the River Liffey.
Not bad going when you consider this involves 4,000 separate firing cues in 37 locations.
The display has been synchronised to a specially commissioned soundtrack that is intended to yield a "spectacular dance of fire and sound" or what organisers are calling a "pyromusical".
98FM will broadcast the show across the airwaves and from giant speakers positioned on the banks of the river.
The fireworks will be fired from platforms in the middle of the river, so the best views are to be had looking towards the sea from Custom House, particularly on the north quays. The shows fires up at 8 p.m. sharp and those wishing to attend are recommended to start assembling at 6.15 p.m.
Now for the traffic bit.
A cordon will be placed around the area bounded by East Wall Road, North Strand, Portland Row/SummerhillParnell Street/Capel Street/Parliament Street/Dame Street/College Green/College Street/Pearse Street to Grand Canal Quay.
This includes the North and South Quays from Fr. Matthew (Church Street) Bridge to the East Link Bridge.
There will be access for residents. Some adjoining streets may also be affected by the closures, and there will be no access to Ormond Quay from Capel Street.
Gardaí said traffic and parking restrictions will be enforced from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on a number of streets in and around the city centre.
