Dublin’s Lord Mayor launched a spear into the Irish Sea today in a re-enactment of a medieval ritual marking out the city’s eastern boundaries.
The "Casting of the Spear" tradition dates back to 1488 when the then Lord Mayor, Thomas Mayler set out on his horse to ride the city's boundaries.
Records show that he rode out onto the strand as far as he could and cast a spear into the sea to demonstrate the extent of the city boundaries eastwards. From that day onwards each year the Lord Mayor re-enacts the ceremony.
However, unlike his predecessors, who rode a horse to launch the city limits marker, Councillor Paddy Bourke was taken out into Dublin Bay by a modern tug boat.
Cllr Bourke said the tradition on the site of the city's modern port flagged up the instrumental role the port has played in the commercial development of Dublin.
"Economies are built on trade so it's no surprise that the majority of the world's top cities have working ports at their heart," he said.
"Having a port in such close proximity to the city gives Dublin a great competitive advantage and it stands in the company of cities like London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Barcelona and Singapore all of whom boast a major port."
chief executive of Dublin Port Company, Mr Enda Connellan, which organised the ceremony, said the port was proud of its heritage and long links with the city and country.
"This ceremony reminds us of where Ireland's largest city has come from over the last 500 years and how the port has played its role in its development," he said.