This weekend promises little in the way of good weather but plenty in terms of culture and sport, with the Cork World Book Festival and Punchestown Festival taking place.
The World Book Festival, which began on Wednesday, is a four-day celebration featuring guests such as author and art critic Alannah Hopkin and best-selling novelist and travel writer Douglas Kennedy.
Disney on Ice Disneyland Adventure continues this weekend at the Green Glens Arena, Millstreet, Cork, and extra traffic can be expected on Killarney Road, Drishane Road, Church Street and the surrounding area before and after the event.
Cork also plays host to New York-based composer, film-maker and multimedia opera specialist Mike Rouse, who is bringing his new one-man show, Music for Minorities,to the Opera House on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Dublin welcomes the critically acclaimed electronica duo Mouse on Mars and Lloyd Cole, formerly lead man with the Commotions, this evening. Seattle-based Presidents of the USA will be appearing at Tripod tomorrow night.
The Punchestown Festival continues at Punchestown Racecourse until Saturday evening and AA Ireland advises motorists that they should expect traffic through Naas today and tomorrow.
Staying with sport and the Allianz National Football League division two final between Dublin and Westmeath takes place at Páirc Tailteann in Navan at 7pm on Saturday. Extra traffic can be expected on the N3 Dublin/Navan Rd and the approach roads from Westmeath.
Met Éireann forecasts a wet and windy weekend with occasional showers on Saturday and temperatures dipping to 4 or 5 degrees in the evening. Sunday will also see showers, particularly in the afternoon and evening, with low temperatures again in the evening.
