There was traffic chaos - with motor rage at its most vociferous - in Dublin last night as numerous streets were cordoned off for SkyFest 2000.
The city centre almost came to a full stop as motorists got caught in the huge snarl-up. If you weren't interested in the fireworks, it was simply tough luck: you just had to grin and bear it.
With the major fireworks display starting at 8 p.m., the SkyFest restrictions stretched from Capel Street Bridge to Sir Rogerson's Quay on the south quays and to Butt Bridge on the north quays.
From 6 p.m. callers to the Irish Times offices were complaining about the delays and general confusion. One woman in Thomas Street said: "It is madness. The whole city is being turned into a car-park."
A spokeswoman for a large taxi company said: "It is unbelievable. We cannot get anywhere. It is blocked from the Four Courts down the whole length of the quays. It is ridiculous. We just cannot cope."
A spokesman for Dublin Fire Brigade said at 6.30 p.m.: "We have a serious problem here. Half our staff haven't been able to get into work yet because there are so many roads cut off. There is a ring of yellow jackets out there [gardai]. It's a right nuisance. Our personnel have to park about three miles out."
One woman, not the owner of a car, said it was impossible to get public transport. Every bus that passed her was full of people coming into the city for the fireworks. She got fed up trying to get a bus and went back home to watch it on television.
A Garda spokeswoman said people were getting caught because they had not read their papers or listened to the numerous warnings during the week. Full notice had been given of all the restrictions to be put in place.
"If people insist on bringing their vehicles into areas where they cannot move, it is going to cause all sorts of problems. They have been told all week that they would be advised to make use of public transport."
She said they had to allow pedestrians freedom of movement without being crushed or somebody getting injured. "You cannot allow cars in among pedestrians."