Lights out, clocks forward this weekend

It is a case of lights out and clocks forward this weekend with Earth Hour taking place tomorrow and summer time beginning.

It is a case of lights out and clocks forward this weekend with Earth Hour taking place tomorrow and summer time beginning.

Earth Hour, an annual event which encourages people around the world to turn off their lights for one hour at 8.30pm local time to show their support for action on climate change.

Last year, over 4,000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off their lights with landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Colosseum in Rome and the CNN Tower in Toronto all being plunged into darkness.

It is expected that as many as 50 million people worldwide will mark the occasion tomorrow.

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On the music front, Gilbert O'Sullivan will perform at the Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin tonight and tomorrow. Elsewhere, Wild Beasts are at the Cyprus Avenue in Cork this evening and at The Academy in Dublin tomorrow with Irish act The Villagers providing support.

Another hotly tipped local band -And So I Watch You From Afar - are on at Andrews Lane Theatre tonight while on Sunday former Mercury Prize nominees The Unthanks will be performing at Whelans.

A number of sporting events are taking place through the country this weekend including racing at Navan and the Magners League clash between Leinster and Connacht at the RDS Arena in Dublin.

On Sunday, the Alive Outside Duathlon takes place at the Phoenix Park in Dublin. To accommodate the event Acres Road, Upper Glen Rod and the Chapelizod Gate will be closed from 9am to 12pm.

Elsewhere, the Midlands Motor Club Rally will take place throughout the midlands from 8.30am to 6.30pm on Sunday leading to a number of road closures around Bundoon, Drumure, Gorteenorna, Garrouhill, Carrowbeg, Bohernameeltoge, Cloonmacart, Gaigue, Tawnagh, Edenmore, Aghadowry, Carrickateane, Lettergonnell, Carrowlinan, Soran, Ederland, France, Currygrane, Garvagh, Glenoghill, Killoe Glebe, Farragh, Kilmoyle and Ballygarve.

Signposted diversions will be in place and local access will be maintained.

The Antiques Fair is taking place at the RDS main hall from today until Sunday and motorists are warned to expect delays in the Ballsbridge area.

With summer time officially starting at 1am Greenwich Mean Time on Sunday, all clocks should be put forward by an hour. Summer time is due to officially end on Sunday 31st October.

Despite the onset of summer, there is little to look forward to weather-wise with Met Éireann forecasting a mainly dry but cold weekend.

It says that tomorrow will start off bright and breezy with sunny spells and some scattered showers. However, by evening temperatures will drop and frost will dvelop in many areas.

Sunday will be cold and bright with outbreaks of rain likely to spread northwards over Munster and Leinster as the day progresses.

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor is a former Irish Times business journalist