Sport, heritage on weekend agenda

Tens of thousands are expected to attend the Irish rugby team’s last hurrah before departing for the World Cup on what looks …

Tens of thousands are expected to attend the Irish rugby team’s last hurrah before departing for the World Cup on what looks set to be a busy weekend across the country.

Sports fixtures, the culmination of Heritage Week and a number of festivals featuring everything from classical music to threshing are among the activities taking place.

Met Éireann said tomorrow would be a largely bright day with temperatures of between 15 and 18 degrees. Scattered showers are forecast with south and southwest coastal areas the most likely places to remain dry.

Sunday is expected to be dry for the most part but with a chance of scattered showers in northern and eastern parts of the country. Temperatures are unlikely to rise above 18 degrees with fog developing late amid colder conditions on Sunday night.

Ireland's rugby squad will be looking for a fillip before heading to New Zealand after a disappointing series of warm up fixtures to date.

A victory over England at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow afternoon, kick off 2.30pm, would raise the spirits of the players and supporters before a lengthy trek to the southern hemisphere where dates with Australia, the USA and Italy await them.

Dublin will look to take another step towards ending a 16-year All Ireland Senior Football Championship drought when they square off with Donegal in Croke Park on Sunday afternoon. Throw in is at 3.30pm and AA Roadwatch has warned that traffic restrictions will be in place in the Drumcondra/Ballybough areas throughout the day.

Also on a sporting note, racing takes place at Galway racecourse in Ballybrit tomorrow and Sunday with the first race going to post at 2.55pm. The 10km Kildare Mini-Marathon takes place in Newbridge on Sunday at noon.

In Dublin, the second annual Garden Squares Day takes place tomorrow in Merrion Square, Fitzwilliam Square, Mountjoy Square, Iveagh Gardens and St Stephen's Green between 10am and 5pm. Events include live music, walking tours, chess and children's entertainment.

In Tipperary, the Loughmore Harvest Festival features old-style threshing, dog shows, pony rides and a hurling crossbar challenge between Tipperary and Kilkenny. It starts at 1.30pm on Sunday, in the village of Loughmore, situated between Thurles and Templemore.

In Belfast, the third Féile an Driochead festival takes place this weekend, celebrating all things Celtic and Irish. Tonight, the programme features Co Antrim folk band The Rapparees, while tomorrow, there are music workshops all day, and on Sunday, a performance by The Gloaming will end the festival.

Heritage Week culminates this weekend with events taking place in towns all over Ireland. The Cork leg of Heritage Week, which actually runs for nine days, features architecture walking tours of the city streets, a medieval day in Bishop Lucy Park tomorrow and guided tours of Blackrock Castle.