Lights Out Dublin

At 8pm, it was lights out down by the River Liffey with all the mood lighting underneath eleven bridges switched off. The Custom House, often considered architecturally the most important building in Dublin which is sited on the river front switched off all the lights at 8pm. Non essential lighting on other iconic buildings such as The Four Courts, Liberty Hall and and the courtyard of Government buildings were switched off.

"I am delighted with the response to the Earth Hour initiative in Ireland, says campaign organizer Cathy Flanagan. A 1.5% reduction in power use is a considerable achievement and serves to illustrate the power of one person in just one hour to make Earth Hour a great success, joining cities and individuals across the globe to call for action on climate change. In a campaign like this there is no such thing as an effort too small, we can all do what we can to help tackle climate change. Just by switching off all non-essential lights we can help make a big difference."

Analysis carried out by EirGrid on Saturday night indicates a reduction of approximately 50 megawatts , from the exported demand during the during the period 6.30pm – 9.30pm last night Saturday 29 March. On the basis of these figures we estimate that in excess of 30,000 homes supported Earth Hour not just in Dublin but across the country

The lasting impact of Earth Hour's success is not just what happened for one hour on Saturday night. It's what we in Ireland do next, every day, to use save energy and water, to minimize waste and maximize recycling. Small steps add up.

Those who supported Earth Hour in Ireland should pat themselves on the shoulder, for making Earth Hour a big hit.