TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS:GRAND SLAM alliances will be put aside this bank holiday weekend for the latest chapter in rugby's long-running provincial feud. Some 82,000 fans, a world record attendance for a club match, are set to converge on Croke Park for today's Heineken Cup semi-final clash between Leinster and Munster.
Met Éireann predicts dry and bright weather for the match, with some patchy rain.
A Garda cordon will operate around the streets leading to Croke Park from 2.30pm until 8pm. Gardaí say only accredited vehicles will be permitted to pass the cordon.
They have also warned that all match-goers entering the cordon will be subject to a “search” by officers and a ticket check by stewards. Objects such as glass bottles, air horns and large flagpoles will be seized.
Match-goers are advised to use public transport, but those travelling by car should begin their journeys early to avail of limited parking facilities. Gardaí recommend motorists approach Croke Park by the M1 motorway to the Drumcondra Road or the M50 to the Navan Road.
Two supervised car parks will be available near the stadium.
A car park at Clonliffe College will be accessible from the Lower Drumcondra Road and will have 3,100 spaces.
Another car park at O’Connell’s School on North Richmond Street will have 400 spaces and will be accessible from the North Circular Road. No traffic will be permitted to leave the car parks for a period of time after the game in order to allow pedestrians to leave the area safely.
Buses and coaches will be able to park at designated spaces on Mountjoy Square and Western Way, off Phibsboro Road.
Gardaí are also advising people not to purchase tickets for the event, which is sold out, from unaccredited sources. The stiles will open at 3.30pm for the game, which begins at 5.30pm.
Iarnród Éireann said several special services put on for the match from Cork and Limerick have been booked out but there was still limited capacity on its scheduled services.
Elsewhere, there are a number of arts and music festivals taking place around the country this weekend, most notably the All-Ireland Drama Festival which opened in Athlone last night.
The festival, which runs until May 9th in the Dean Crowe Theatre, will feature a production of Brian Friel’s Faith Healer on Sunday.
Limerick city’s three-day Riverfest event takes place this weekend with plenty of fun for all the family, including a big screen and barbecue event for the rugby match on Merchant’s Quay from 10am today.
The Drogheda Arts Festival, which began on Wednesday, also continues this weekend with several events, including a reading by playwright Marina Carr at 3pm in Barlow House today and a gig by The Funeral Band at St Peter’s church on Sunday night.
The Bray Jazz Festival in Co Wicklow celebrates its 10th anniversary with an eye-catching line-up this weekend, details of which can be viewed on www.brayjazz.com
Hundreds of people are also expected to gather in the Co Clare village of Corofin for one of the more unique events on the calendar – the 10th Annual World Stone-throwing Competition.