Dublin Lord Mayor, Cllr Alison Gilliland at the official turning on of the iconic ‘The Happy Ring House’ neon sign at McDowells Jewellers for the first time since 2008
Last night.
O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.
Niall Moonan writes:
‘Ireland’s first ever animated neon sign has been restored to its former glory for the first time 13 years.
The iconic McDowells Happy Ring House signt has been given a new lease of life thanks to a grant partially funded by Dublin City Council. It was created and erected in 1952 by sign experts Gaelite – and 69 years later, the firm was called back to restore it after it fell into disrepair in 2008…’
Niall adds:
‘The restoration project began in September, involving the removal of existing neon tubing for testing to use as templates for replacement manufacturing, before sections of the letters and symbols where rust had caused damage, were re-soldered or replaced.
The final phase saw installation of new 18mm diameter white neon border tubes, featuring a ring, horseshoes and a couple, re-electroded and re-pumped with neon Happy Ring House text, using the existing tubes.
A four-way flasher and one-way flasher added to animated sections of display, completed the sign.
Pic: Kieran Harnett
This story is crying out for a Paulus poem. Don’t let us down, Mr P!
Some terminology here has me stumped?
Though I think at the chance I’d have jumped:
‘Cause this re-engineering
From what I’ve been hearing
Includes the option of being re-pumped!
Magic!
If I may.
Doubling in the rare aul times…
Many’s a Mot tickled pink
At de thought of rings, interlinked
And before ya splutter
get yor mind out de gutter
I’m talking bling… yiz missing links!
heheheheheheh
In other news, a bear did his business in a wood.
I was brought into town when it first went up, to see “something you will never forget” and I haven’t!! Big Thanks to whoever is behind the re-creation.
Keep it glowing
I was looking at rings the other evening when I realized a couple right behind me were trying to get a look it…it felt right to leave them my place
as a kid i remember the add in the cinema just before the film,i always wanted ring from the Happy Ring House.