Citizens warned of green monsters on city streets

Gardaí are advising the public not to be alarmed if the Capital's streets turn green and large inflatible beasts are seen roaming through the city centre tomorrow.

The beasts, they assure us, are relatively tame and will stick to the main thoroughfares while the green hue will lift by the weekend.

For those brave enough to venture out, Met Éireann says it expects the day to be bright and fresh with sunshine and scattered blustery showers.

A giant fire-breathing dragon is expected to raise the temperature in some areas but on the whole things will remain cool at around 10 degrees.

The aforementioned procession of beasts and their respective charmers is set to begin at 12 noon on St Stephen's Green.

They will follow a route along Cuffe Street, Kevin Street Lower and Upper, Patrick Street, Nicholas Street, Christchurch Place, Lord Edward Street, Dame Street, College Green, Westmoreland Street and finally to O'Connell Street and Parnell Square.

Those of you insisting on driving your four-wheeled beasts should expect severe restrictions.

The streets along the parade route will be closed from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. while Western Way, Mountjoy Street and St. Mary's Place will be closed until 4.30 p.m.

For the survivors of this invasion there'll be dancing and revelry at a Céilí Mór in Earlsfort Terrace from 2.30 p.m to 6 p.m.

AA Roadwatch are advising people not to take a car into any major town or city across the State as similar spectacles are being predicted.

In Limerick a parade of weird animals and drummers will follow a route from Barrack Hill to Bank Place and - motorists beware - the route will be cleared of all parked vehicles by 5 a.m. in the morning.

In Galway over 50 groups will take part in the annual procession along a new route through the heart of the city.  Starting from the Galway Fire Station at 12.30 p.m., soldiers reenacting the Battle of Knockdoe will rampage along Dominick Street, over O'Brien's Bridge, through Shop Street, down Eglington Street and ending at Woodquay.

Again four-wheeled, fuel-injected beasts will be forbidden anywhere along the route from 7 a.m.

In Cork a celebrity turkey named Dustin will lead a parade of oddities through the city centre from 1 p.m. starting from the Imperial Hotel, South Mall.

AA roadwatch says the national routes tend to take the brunt of the country's heavy traffic during such times and delays can be expected in particular on the N7 through Monastervin, the N2 through Ashbourne and Slane, the N3 through Dunshaughlin and Navan, the N1 through Dundalk, the N11 through Ashford, Rathnew and Gorey, and the N8 through Mitchelstown and Fermoy.