Millennium Clock, Dublin: Difference between revisions
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[[File:20130807 dublin094.JPG|thumb|The west side of O'Connell Bridge in 2013, where the clock was installed]] |
[[File:20130807 dublin094.JPG|thumb|The west side of O'Connell Bridge in 2013, where the clock was installed]] |
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The '''Millennium Clock''' was a six-ton installation designed by Grainne Hassett and Vincent Ducatez to celebrate the passing of the millennium, sponsored by the [[National Lottery (Ireland)|National Lottery]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/watching-the-clock-1.36171|title=Watching the clock|last=Harrison|first=Bernice|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> It took the form of a digital [[seven-segment display]] counting down the number of seconds to the year 2000 submerged under the surface of the [[River Liffey]] on the west side of [[O'Connell Bridge]] in [[Dublin]] city centre. It was turned on in March 1996 but suffered from technical problems, including becoming obscured by mud. It was ultimately removed in August of the same year.<ref name="Nolan2015">{{cite book|author=Brendan Nolan|title=Dublin Urban Legends|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zAfCBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT13|date=4 May 2015|publisher=History Press|isbn=978-0-7509-6463-0|pages=13–16}}</ref> |
The '''Millennium Clock''' was a six-ton installation designed by Grainne Hassett and Vincent Ducatez to celebrate the passing of the millennium, sponsored by the [[National Lottery (Ireland)|National Lottery]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/watching-the-clock-1.36171|title=Watching the clock|last=Harrison|first=Bernice|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> It took the form of a 6-tonne digital<ref name="Murphy">{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jason |last2=O'Herlihy |first2=Donal |title=Documentary On One: Fr Pat Noise and the doomed Millennium Clock |url=https://www.rte.ie/culture/2017/1117/920868-documentary-on-one-fr-pat-noise-and-the-doomed-millennium-clock/ |access-date=17 May 2022 |publisher=RTÉ Culture |date=17 November 2017 |language=en}}</ref> [[seven-segment display]] counting down the number of seconds to the year 2000 submerged under the surface of the [[River Liffey]] on the west side of [[O'Connell Bridge]] in [[Dublin]] city centre. It was turned on in March 1996 but suffered from technical problems, including becoming obscured by mud. It was ultimately removed in August of the same year.<ref name="Nolan2015">{{cite book|author=Brendan Nolan|title=Dublin Urban Legends|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zAfCBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT13|date=4 May 2015|publisher=History Press|isbn=978-0-7509-6463-0|pages=13–16}}</ref> These issues resulted in the clock being referred to as the "Time in the Slime".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kilfeather |first=Frank |date=20 March 1996 |title=Time in the Slime is the Clock in Dry Dock |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/time-in-the-slime-is-the-clock-in-dry-dock-1.35492 |access-date=2022-05-17 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> |
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A ceremony featuring a fireworks display and led by the then Minister for Finance [[Ruairi Quinn]] marking the switching on of the clock was broadcast on [[Raidió Teilifís Éireann|RTE's]] [[The Late Late Show (Irish talk show)|The Late Late Show]] on Friday, 15 March 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/millennium-clock-to-start-countdown-1.34573|title=Millennium clock to start countdown|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> It was temporarily removed three days later to facilitate boat races.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/time-out-for-the-millennium-clock-1.35277|title=Time out for the Millennium Clock|last=Kilfeather|first=Frank|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> The clock cost £250,000 to construct, with an additional £58,000 spent on repairs, installation and removal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-lot-of-lotto-can-make-little-difference-1.55187|title=A lot of Lotto can make little difference|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> The clock was finally removed in August 1996 for the annual [[The Liffey Swim|Liffey swim]] and was not returned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/lottery-examines-clock-options-1.97304|title=Lottery examines clock options|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> |
A ceremony featuring a fireworks display and led by the then Minister for Finance [[Ruairi Quinn]] marking the switching on of the clock was broadcast on [[Raidió Teilifís Éireann|RTE's]] [[The Late Late Show (Irish talk show)|The Late Late Show]] on Friday, 15 March 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/millennium-clock-to-start-countdown-1.34573|title=Millennium clock to start countdown|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> It was temporarily removed three days later to facilitate boat races.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/time-out-for-the-millennium-clock-1.35277|title=Time out for the Millennium Clock|last=Kilfeather|first=Frank|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> The clock cost £250,000 to construct, with an additional £58,000 spent on repairs, installation and removal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-lot-of-lotto-can-make-little-difference-1.55187|title=A lot of Lotto can make little difference|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> The clock was finally removed in August 1996 for the annual [[The Liffey Swim|Liffey swim]] and was not returned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/lottery-examines-clock-options-1.97304|title=Lottery examines clock options|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 17:23, 17 May 2022
| Millennium Clock | |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996 |
| Medium | Installation art |
| Location | Dublin, Ireland |
The Millennium Clock was a six-ton installation designed by Grainne Hassett and Vincent Ducatez to celebrate the passing of the millennium, sponsored by the National Lottery.[1] It took the form of a 6-tonne digital[2] seven-segment display counting down the number of seconds to the year 2000 submerged under the surface of the River Liffey on the west side of O'Connell Bridge in Dublin city centre. It was turned on in March 1996 but suffered from technical problems, including becoming obscured by mud. It was ultimately removed in August of the same year.[3] These issues resulted in the clock being referred to as the "Time in the Slime".[4]
A ceremony featuring a fireworks display and led by the then Minister for Finance Ruairi Quinn marking the switching on of the clock was broadcast on RTE's The Late Late Show on Friday, 15 March 1996.[5] It was temporarily removed three days later to facilitate boat races.[6] The clock cost £250,000 to construct, with an additional £58,000 spent on repairs, installation and removal.[7] The clock was finally removed in August 1996 for the annual Liffey swim and was not returned.[8]
A postcard dispenser machine was installed on the bridge as part of the installation which printed the number of seconds to the millennium on a postcard at a cost of 20p. It sold between 600-700 postcards per day in the five months of operation generating £17,000.[9] The removal of the clock left a space in the bridge parapet where its control box had been. In 2004, pranksters took advantage of the space by installing a commemorative plaque memorialising the totally fictitious "Father Pat Noise".[3]
References
- ^ Harrison, Bernice. "Watching the clock". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ^ Murphy, Jason; O'Herlihy, Donal (17 November 2017). "Documentary On One: Fr Pat Noise and the doomed Millennium Clock". RTÉ Culture. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ a b Brendan Nolan (4 May 2015). Dublin Urban Legends. History Press. pp. 13–16. ISBN 978-0-7509-6463-0.
- ^ Kilfeather, Frank (20 March 1996). "Time in the Slime is the Clock in Dry Dock". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ "Millennium clock to start countdown". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ^ Kilfeather, Frank. "Time out for the Millennium Clock". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ^ "A lot of Lotto can make little difference". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ^ "Lottery examines clock options". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ^ Cleary, Catherine. "Clock watchers not fans of digital display". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 March 2020.