Cars get the boot from parts of Dublin and Cork

Cars and other vehicles will be banned from parts of Dublin and Cork cities today, to be replaced by street entertainment and family events in celebration of European Car Free Day.

In Dublin, Parnell Square East, Merrion Square West and the main road through Herbert Park in Donnybrook will be closed to all vehicles from 7am until 6pm.

In Cork, a concession has been made for buses and taxis, but all other vehicles will be banned from Patrick's Street between the junction at Merchants Quay and Daunt's Square/Half Moon Street from 11am to 5pm.

Dublin City Council is organising the celebrations in Dublin. Parnell Square will be the venue for opera and gypsy music outside the Hugh Lane Gallery from noon to 4pm, two art workshops at noon and 1.15pm, and three public tours at 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm.

Merrion Square will host a mixture of urban and traditional events to suit children of all ages, starting at midday with an extreme sports display of skateboarding, BMX skills, rollerblades and long boards, as well as a break-dance workshops.

For younger children there will be a bouncy castle, magic show and circus skills lessons. A picnic area will also be provided.

Events themed on the Great Exhibition of 1907 begin at midday in Herbert Park with brass bands and the Fire Brigade Band and a display of vintage vehicles. Characters dressed in period costume will be on hand to help and direct families to the various attractions. The Lambert Puppet Theatre will perform their Punch and Judy show, while adults can enjoy traditional afternoon tea free of charge.

The Cork Environmental Forum in conjunction with Cork City Council will hold the Rebel Pedal Parade and street festival. The Rebel Pedal will take in a leisurely 40-minute circuit of the city and will feature some unique bikes from penny-farthings to unicycles and sculpture bikes.

The bike ride departs from Cork Opera House on Emmet Place at 11.30am, and will be followed by an on-street festival at Emmet Place with live music, bicycle-powered refreshments, circus performances, "pimp my bike", food stands, a bike doctor clinic and free massage.

Weather conditions look favourable for today's events with largely sunny conditions, according to Met Éireann. While there could be some scattered showers, these will largely be in the west and north of the country and temperatures will range from 15 to 18 degrees.

Meanwhile, a 45-minute tailback outside Wexford town yesterday caused motorists and lorries on their way to Rosslare to miss their ferry departures.

The traffic was reduced to one lane, causing tail backs of three miles in every direction from Ferrycarrig Bridge, to allow Wexford County Council to carry out waterproofing works on the south bound side of Ferrycarrig Bridge.

The work is expected to continue until early December.