Tribute-fests await Cowen and Floyd

One week on from the long bank holiday, this weekend resembles the calm after the storm - the perfect time for paying and playing tributes.

Offaly will be a hub of activity, as homecoming celebrations for the recently anointed Taoiseach Brian Cowen will take place on Saturday in both Tullamore and Clara.

According to the AA, celebrations in Tullamore start at 1pm, with parking restrictions in place from early morning and road closures, while Clara will be the main focus of the celebratory hooley from 5pm. Traffic restrictions will again be in place.

In other events, The BT Small Business & Franchise Show will take place on the RDS today, 1pm-7pm, and tomorrow, 11am - 5pm.

The venue will also host a musical franchise of sorts on Sunday night when the Australian Pink Floyd Show play the venue. Whether you want to shine on, wish you were here, or just be comfortably numb, Dublin 4 is the place to be. The tribute band plays the Oddysey Arena in Belfast on Saturday night.

On a generally quiet sporting front, the main domestic action is on the rugby pitch in the Magners league, although the words “rubbers” and “dead” spring to mind, as the title has already been secured by Leinster last week.

Connacht take on the Ospreys tonight at the Sportsgrounds, kick-off at 6.30, while tomorrow sees Ulster up against Cardiff at Ravenhill, kick-off 7.30pm.

Munster have potential glory ahead as they prepare for the Heineken Cup final but tomorrow sees them in the less glamorous surrounds of Musgrave Park, Cork, where they play Glasgow, kick-off at 5pm.

In railway news, Iarnród Éireann has announced that the 13.30 Westport-to-Dublin service on Sunday has been deferred to 14.25 due to driver issues, and that the 13.20 Ballina-to-Manulla Junction train will be deferred to 14.15 as a result.

Weatherwise, tomorrow morning will be overcast and murky, but Met Éireann promises it will be brighter through the afternoon, with some hazy sunshine and showery rain. The good news is that Sunday and Monday are forecast to be dry and very warm. Yep, we have a confirmed “very” – sunscreen ahoy!