'Clash of the ash' dominates weekend

The "clash of the ash" will dominate events this weekend, so there's nothing for it but to join in the hurling double-headers…

The "clash of the ash" will dominate events this weekend, so there's nothing for it but to join in the hurling double-headers on the double.

Croke Park is at the centre of all the weekend's action, with two senior hurling championship quarter-final matches on Saturday and two on Sunday.

Tomorrow, Wexford play Tipperary at 2pm, closely followed by old All-Ireland foes Kilkenny and Galway at 4pm. On Sunday, neighbours Limerick and Clare will take to the pitch at 2pm, followed by the battle between Waterford and Cork at 4pm.

Traffic on all routes to Croker will be exceptionally busy, and long delays should be expected out of Dublin after all matches.

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For anyone who'd rather eat a sliotar than sit sweltering in traffic, Irish Rail is offering a "clash of the ash" special train for the Limerick-Clare match, leaving Limerick at 9.15am on Sunday morning and returning from Heuston at 7.40pm.

A number of other special services are available, but some have sold out already, Iarnrod Éireann has warned.

Other events in Dublin this week will cater for all tastes, including the "Kings of Concrete" gathering at the Civic Office Amphitheatre on Wood Quay (Dublin City Council offices) tomorrow. The event will see skaters, BMXers, bladers artists and musicians engage in a spectacular display of stunts, tricks and entertainment.

The Bud Light Revue - billed as a modern comedy carnival - takes place from today until Sunday in the Iveagh Gardens (between Earlsfort Terrace and Harcourt Street), with over 50 acts taking part. In total, there will be more than 40 shows over the weekend. Iveagh Gardens can be accessed by bus and by Luas green line services.

A short walk across the city tomorrow, there will be an African festival at Wolfe Tone Park, Jervis Street.

Elsewhere, the 30th Galway Arts Festival continues until Sunday, when the events will close with a much-anticipated performance from Donal Lunny and Moving Hearts.

On the traffic front in Galway, a new bridge on the N59 Westport to Clifden Road in Leenane is due to open to traffic this afternoon depending on the outcome of an inspection. The bridge replaces the one that collapsed due to flooding in recent weeks, resulting in massive detours for all traffic on the route. A pedestrian bridge is already in place.

AA Roadwatch said single lane traffic will be in operation across the bridge and that temporary traffic lights will be in place.

The diversion route via Cong and Neal and Ballinrobe adds some 100 kilometres to the journey between Westport and Clifden.

Met Éireann, not the bearer of much good news in recent weeks, predicts that showers will become more widespread later today, although they will be "passing" in nature and limited mainly to inland and eastern counties.

Many other areas will have a dry day with recurring sunny breaks. Highest temperatures will be 17 to 21 degrees, with warmest weather in the sunnier south.

Tomorrow will start dry in most areas with some sunshine for a time. But rain will reach southwest Munster in the afternoon and will spread north to affect most of Munster and the south of Leinster in the evening - and will turn heavy.

Most places will have a good deal of dry weather on Sunday, Met Éireann says.