'It's amazing to see New York from Dublin'

There is great excitement in the air across the road from Dublin's General Post Office and the iconic Spire.

Locals and tourists are fascinated by the sight of a real-time visual link between the city and New York.

The 24/7 livestream is on a big, circular screen erected just off the junction where North Earl Street runs onto the Irish capital's main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street.

It allows people in Dublin to see what's going on in New York all day.

A similar screen in New York also means people there can see what is happening in Dublin, around the clock.

Occasionally, a cheer goes up on the Dublin street when people passing the New York screen wave across the Atlantic.

In return, the New Yorkers get a host of waves and smiles from Dubliners.

John Plummer, who is visiting his capital city from Drogheda, is captivated.

"It's amazing," he said.

"It's great to see something like this in the city and to be able to watch people going about their business in New York while we're standing here in the centre of Dublin."

His cousin Luke Plummer, who is from Dublin, is also impressed.

He said: "It's great for people from here who have never been to New York to see what's going on over there at this very minute."

The idea behind the project is to unite citizens via technology on either side of the Atlantic Ocean.

The NYC portal is located on the Flatiron South Public Plaza at Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street, one of the Big Apple's most dynamic intersections.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí De Róiste said: "I would encourage Dubliners and visitors to the city to come and interact with the sculpture and extend an Irish welcome and kindness to cities all over the world."

The portal is set to become a fixture of Dublin's streetscape throughout the summer and runs until the autumn.

In the coming months, there will be cultural performances at each city's portal to be enjoyed by people in the other city via the livestream.

From July, the Dublin portal will also connect to other global city destinations in Poland, Brazil and Lithuania.

'Amazing global cities'

Benediktas Gylys, Lithuanian artist and founder of the portal, said: "Portals are an invitation to meet people above borders and differences and to experience our world as it really is - united and one."

New York City chief public realm officer Ya-Ting Liu said: "Two amazing global cities, connected in real-time and space. That is something you do not see every day."

The Dublin portal is situated beside a statue of the internationally renowned Irish novelist and poet, James Joyce.

When asked what he thought Joyce might think of it, John Plummer smiled and said: "He'd probably be amazed at how far technology has come since his time."