Clashing ash and spinning leather is the name of the game this weekend as the All-Ireland hurling championship enters endgame mode.
The next instalment of, arguably, the game’s greatest rivalry takes place in Croke Park on Sunday when Kilkenny take on Cork for a place in next month’s final.
The counties meet for the 25th time in the All-Ireland series, a sequence stretching across three centuries back to 1893.
Gardaí are warning motorists to expect delays on all routes to the stadium before and after the match, which starts at 3.30pm. They are also advising those travelling by car to come via the M50 motorway to Navan Road, Finglas Road, Drumcondra Road.
As with all events at Croke Park, a Garda cordon will be in place on the streets that lead to the stadium, and only accredited vehicles will be permitted to pass.
On the non-sporting front, there are a host of cultural events and festivals taking place this weekend. The 10-day Kilkenny Arts Festival is to be formally launched this evening by Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport Mary Hanafin.
A vibrant programme of music, dance, visual art and theatre is expected to draw up to 23,000 visitors, according to the organisers.
The Dublin Horse Show continues at the RDS grounds in Dublin until Sunday, featuring over 300 trade stands, offering art and antiques, jewellery, fashion as well as house and home ideas.
Today is traditionally the busiest day when a capacity crowd comes to see the Nations Cup for the award of the Aga Khan trophy.
The Tullamore Show, one of the country’s largest one-day agricultural shows, take places tomorrow, with a host of farming exhibits, as well as a number of home industries and fashion stands.
The two-day Lisdoonvarna music festival begins tonight in Co Clare, with nine bands playing, including Niwel Tsumbu, A Band Called Wanda and Secret Weapon.
Alternatively, the Carlow floral festival, which continues until Sunday, provides an opportunity for budding and experienced gardeners to obtain practical advice and tips from some of Ireland's most respected experts.
Budding movie stars have the chance to join a movie extras database at a unique event in Dublin. The company, movieextras.ie, will be registering people for their database at the Westbury Hotel from 11am to 6pm. Registration for the photo shoot costs €99 and includes two photos taken by photographer Harry Weir.
The weather promises to mainly dry with a mix of cloud and sunny spells. However, Met Éireann said there may be some scattered showers in eastern and northern areas.
