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 for a match between clubs, are set to converge on Croke Park for the Heineken Cup semi-final clash between Leinster and Munster.
The event looks set to dominate the weekend which Met Éireann says will be mainly dry and bright 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 and all vehicles will be checked.
They have also warned that all match-goers entering the cordon will be subject to a “search” by officers and ticket check by stewards. Objects such as glass bottles, air horns and large flagpoles will be seized, they say.
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 Phibsborough Road. Gardaí are also advising people not to purchase tickets for the event, which is already sold out, from unaccredited sources. The stiles will open at 3.30pm for the game which begins at 5.30pm.
Alternatively, there are a number of arts and music festivals taking place around the country this weekend, most notably the All-Ireland Drama Festival which opens in Athlone tonight. The festival, which runs until May 9th in The Dean Crowe Theatre,will feature a production of Brian Friel's The Faith Healer on Sunday.
The Drogheda Arts Festival, which began on Wednesday, continues this weekend with several events, including a reading from playwright Marina Carr at 3pm in Barlow House today.
The Funeral Band are also set to play at the St Peter’s Chruch venue on Sunday night which promises to be a memorable gig.
The Bray Jazz Festival in Co Wicklow celebrates its 10th anniversary, with an eye-catching line up this weekend, which can viewed on www.brayjazz.com.