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The “Nollaig Shona Duit” holiday lights will return to Grafton St following the controversy over their removal last year.
Dublin Town, the business organization responsible for installing the city’s Christmas lights, last year championed the replacement of the lights at the top of Grafton Street with a sign that read “Welcome to Grafton Quarter.”
The new branding proved unpopular with hundreds of social media users and other business groups in the city, while Dublin City Council Chief Executive Owen Keegan said he would prefer to see the Irish language sign reinstated.
Dublin Town, originally called the Dublin City Business Improvement District, was established 12 years ago, to promote the city and supplement city hall services through additional cleaning, graffiti removal, flower planting and Christmas lights.
In a statement Friday, it said the Nollaig Shona Duit Christmas light sign, which had previously been located on nearby Wicklow St, “will be transferred to Grafton St.”
A Dublin Town spokesperson noted that there were two posters for Nollaig Shona Duit, but that the one originally on Grafton Street had simply reached the end of its useful life after 15 years.
Following the reaction to the lights last year, it was decided to move the remaining signage from Nollaig Shona Duit this year to the most prominent location. He confirmed that there are no plans to use the Grafton Quarter sign this year.
“Shopping and socializing in Dublin city center under the iconic Christmas lights is a key Christmas memory for many,” he said. “2020 has been an extremely difficult year for Dublin city center businesses.
“Dublin Town has shared that experience with its members and will not be able to provide new Christmas lights on some streets as it would have liked. However, it will install lights on 26 downtown streets, including Grafton and Henry / Mary streets and many more. “
Dublin Town, which represents 2,500 businesses in Dublin city center, also urged the public to start their Christmas shopping before the December rush, as more street and in-store space management will be required to meet the needs of physical distancing.
“The stores have been preparing for Christmas and are now ready to meet customer requests,” he said. “Customers are asked to support the work in Ireland by visiting the shops in the city center and shopping at local retailers.
“Post Covid we all want to see a vibrant capital city and to make it happen we need to make sure we support the city’s businesses, and if buying online, the public is encouraged to buy from sites that support jobs in Ireland “.
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