The 15-storey McDonagh Tower in Ballymun, Dublin, was demolished yesterday, clearing the way for the construction of a new civic plaza.
Some 2,000 people watched the implosion, which took place shortly before noon. The textbook toppling was achieved using 2,000 non-electric detonating charges and 40kgs of explosives. It took just a few seconds to collapse the building, to the applause of onlookers.
The 90 families who lived in the tower have already moved into new homes in the area.
All seven 15-storey towers, 19 eight-storey blocks and 10 four-storey blocks of flats in Ballymun will be demolished and 5,000 new homes will be built in the area. Demolitions began in July 2004 and will continue over the next five years.
Over the next few weeks, 6,000 tonnes of rubble will be removed from the site and brought to a recycling facility for reuse in road construction.
At the demolition ceremony, Minister of State for the Environment Noel Ahern said the demolition of each block "is a highly visible symbol that another stage in Ireland's biggest physical, social and economic regeneration has taken place".