Leon Farrell / Rollingnews.ie Joey Butler from Artane with his son Fionn beside the O'Connell Street Christmas Tree Leon Farrell / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

Updated 19.22

THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS on O’Connell Street in Dublin have just been switched on, and everything is starting to look a lot like Christmas.

Local boyband Hometown, along with city mayor Críona ní Dhalaigh, did the honours after performing a quick concert for the gathered crowd.

If the photos are anything to go by everyone has had a whale of a time.

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Rollingnews.ie Lord Mayor Críona ní Dhalaigh with her granddaughter Ciara Koughran at the lighting ceremony Rollingnews.ie

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Earlier the Dublin Gospel Choir gave a free concert, while Dustin the Turkey gave a performance of his new Olympia panto Freezin, and all manner of other Christmas-related tomfoolery was on display from early afternoon.

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Meanwhile charity Debra Ireland was hoping to break a Christmas jumper world record on O’Connell Street as part of Geansaí Nollag 2015.

Last year’s record for the same event stood at 1,297 ridiculous jumpers, so there’s a tough target to beat. We’re not yet sure as to whether or not the record has fallen.

To bolster that effort, the Luas will be free to all people wearing a Christmas jumper from 6pm until last trams this evening. So if you’ve been sampling the festive spirit around the city centre don’t forget your trip home can be a free one.

“Just show your bonkers Christmas jumper if Luas staff ask for your ticket!” says a release from the tram service.

What qualifies as a ‘bonkers’ Christmas jumper is not made clear however, so it’s probably best not to be caught wearing a relatively plain one. It may come down to the ticket collector’s discretion after all.

Originally published at 13.50

Read: A Dublin fire crew went on their Christmas party and saved a man who collapsed at the bar

Read: Australian Christmas tree sets world record for boasting over 500,000 lights

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