LAURENCE KINLAN, WHO plays Elmo, one of the few main characters to have survived the latest season of Love/Hate, will help turn on the iconic Christmas lights on Dublin’s Grafton Street.

Local act the Original Rudeboys will also be at the event, which happens tomorrow at 5pm at the Stephen’s Green end of the city’s main shopping street.

There’s another lighting-up ceremony for the Henry Street lights this weekend — the Rudeboys will again be performing the honours at 4pm on Sunday.

Lord Mayor Christy Burke turns on the main lights on O’Connell Street on Sunday 30 November, at 3.30pm.

Laurence Kinlan as ‘Elmo’

There’ll also be a special free open-air concert and tree-lighting ceremony in the Smithfield area next Thursday evening, with details yet to be confirmed.

In Cork, the official switch-on of the lights on Patrick Street also happens this week.

The council have “invested heavily” in new lights for the city this year, according to a statement from the local authority.

Lord Mayor Mary Shields will be joined on stage by Breige Corkery and Anna Geary — captains, respectively, of Cork’s victorious All Ireland-winning ladies football and camogie teams.

Celebrations get under way at 6pm, with the switch-on scheduled for “precisely” 6.45pm.

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