Dublin has been changed overnight - as the famous Christmas lights which cause the city to shine over the festive period have been put up.
Work began on Sunday night, installing the first lights on Clarendon Street near St Stephen's Green.
Business group DublinTown are in charge of putting up the lights, and spokesperson Clyde Carroll explained just how big an undertaking it is each year.
He said: "It's going to take four crews working through the night, seven nights a week, to put 150 Christmas crossovers on 30 streets in this city.
"These Christmas lights will be hung by safety bolts in the buildings on either side.
"There are over 500 of them, and every single one of them has been tested to the highest standard.
"It’s such a big task that we have to start in early October - but don’t worry, the lights aren’t being switched on until November."
He added: "This year, more than ever, the Christmas period is going to be so important, is going to be vital for businesses in the city centre."
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has admitted he is concerned about the potential knock-on effect of Brexit on Ireland's supply chain this Christmas.
Shops and experts have been warning in recent weeks that people should do their Christmas shopping early to avoid disappointment - and speaking recently, the Fianna Fail leader shared those concerns.
Mr Martin said: "I’ve been concerned for a long time in relation to Brexit. I think Covid has masked a lot of the issues around Brexit. Now we've managed to weather some of the storm because of the preparation, and we prepared well, and also because we're opening up links to Europe and so on."
