Sessions and shows: Weekend drizzle won't dampen spirits

A SELECTION of musical, cultural and sporting events takes place across the country this weekend against a backdrop of dull and wet weather.

The Temple Bar TradFest, an exhibition William Turner’s watercolours and race meetings at Leopardstown are on offer to those looking to make the most of the first pay cheque of the year on this final weekend of January.

Met Éireann has forecast a wet but relatively mild weekend with a band of rain set to make its way across the country today.

Forecaster Joan Blackburn said that the rain would hit the west coast first before making its way eastwards.

She said temperatures of 4-5 degrees could be expected in eastern areas, rising to 9 or 10 degrees in the west.

More of the same is expected tomorrow, with the east coast set to take the brunt of the rain and temperatures again unlikely to climb above 10 degrees.

For those dreaming of warmer or more exotic conditions, the Holiday World Show takes place at the RDS in Dublin today and tomorrow with some 2,000 travel industry representatives from 70 countries on hand to provide advice and ideas to those planning this year’s holidays.

In the city centre, the seventh Temple Bar TradFest continues today and tomorrow with headline concerts, pub sessions, workshops and lunchtime recitals on the agenda.

Members of The Dubliners will use the festival to mark their 50th anniversary with a special concert tonight in Christ Church Cathedral.

An exhibition of work by William Turner enters its final days at the National Gallery of Ireland, with a talk entitled Images of Europe in the Work of Turner taking place at 3pm tomorrow.

On the sporting front, there are meetings at Leopardstown Racecourse today and tomorrow with the races off at 1.10pm and 12.55pm respectively.