A 24/7 livestream connecting Dublin and New York, known as the Portal, was temporarily switched off this week after a series of viral incidents including flashing, swearing, and the display of footage from the 9/11 attacks. The installation, which launched on 8 May on O’Connell Street in Dublin and the Flatiron South Public Plaza in New York, was intended to foster cross-Atlantic connection but quickly became a platform for unanticipated behavior.
OnlyFans model Ava Louise posted a video of herself lifting her top and exposing her breasts to the Dublin camera, with her back turned to the New York crowd. “I thought the people of Dublin deserved to see my two New York homegrown potatoes,” Louise said. The stream appeared to go offline shortly after her stunt.
In another widely shared clip, a man held his phone to the screen showing footage of the World Trade Center towers burning during the 9/11 attacks. A separate video captured a woman being dragged away by police after grinding against the screen. The person who filmed it told local media: “Basically she was there for about 20 minutes very drunk and was slapping and grinding against the portal before guards stepped in.”
Why the Portal Was Created
The Portal is the brainchild of Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys, who described it as “an invitation to meet people above borders and differences and to experience our world as it really is—united and one.” The Dublin installation was approved as part of the city’s designation as European City of Smart Tourism 2024. Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste said at the launch: “We are delighted to connect Dublin with New York which we share a deep historical and cultural bond with. From July the Dublin Portal will also connect to other global city destinations in Poland, Brazil and Lithuania.”
Similar portals are already installed in Lublin, Poland, and Vilnius, Lithuania, according to the artist’s website. The project aims to create spontaneous, real-time encounters between strangers in different cities, but the Dublin–New York link has generated a mix of heartwarming and disruptive interactions.
Creative Encounters and Council Response
Alongside the controversial moments, the Portal has also facilitated genuine connections. A Dublin local was seen trying to share his phone number with a New Yorker on the other side, and a New York woman reportedly called a Dublin man after meeting through the screen. An Irish university shared a photo of an American student linking up with her mother in New York via the Portal camera.
In a statement to Euronews Travel, the Portal team said: “We are overwhelmed by the reactions, which are vastly positive. We are not trying to suggest any particular way in how people should interact with the Portals or with each other. Instead, Portals are an invitation to meet fellow human beings and for people to draw their own interpretations and feelings. In this sense, we are also just observers of this event, and it's great to see the amount of creative energy that people have and how powerful human connection can be.”
Dublin City Council, however, is taking a more cautious approach. A spokesperson said the council is working on “technical solutions” to address “inappropriate behaviour.” The Portal is expected to run until autumn, but its temporary shutdown highlights the challenges of managing public art in the age of social media virality.
For those interested in similar cross-border connections, the Dublin–Belfast rail upgrade is set to reduce travel times under two hours, offering another way to link Irish cities. Meanwhile, the Portal’s future remains uncertain as authorities balance artistic freedom with public decency.
