YESTERDAY, ONE OR more inspired pranksters visited the famous ‘Grand Canal Docks’ sign in Dublin’s south docklands.

They altered it to read ‘Grand Anal C**ks’.

Source: @ColmQCusack

And as one, a nation applauded.

Source: @1995Curley

Even visitors to our fine city were impressed.

I've also just seen a massive sign that says 'Grand Anal Cocks'. I like Dublin. — Richard Brooks (@Just_RichardB) July 16, 2015 Source: Richard Brooks /Twitter

So how did they do it?

It was widely assumed (including by us) that the prankster(s) had physically moved the large metal letters around - somehow removing the ‘D’, and relocating the ‘C’ from ‘canal’ to ‘-ocks’.

But in fact, they had a much more labour-saving solution.

DailyEdge.ieunderstands that instead of moving the letters, the prank’s architects simply tied black plastic bags around the bits they wanted to remove – hiding the ‘C’ completely, and taking away the corners and middle section of the ‘D’ to turn it into a ‘C’.

A close look at the ‘CANAL’ appears to confirm this, with the outline of the ‘C’ still visible.

So it was less an act of vandalism, more of a clever optical illusion. Take a bow, pranksters.

Source: Giphy

The sign is the responsibility of Waterways Ireland, who told DailyEdge.ie that they had taken action to restore its usual message “first thing this morning”.

They also thanked Twitter users for ”bringing it to our attention”. Asked if there would be any investigation into the prank, a spokesperson declined to comment.