The victorious Munster rugby team will be given a civic reception and welcomed back to Cork with the European Cup at a special homecoming event organised by Cork City Council tonight.
The team, led by captain Anthony Foley, will meet the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Deirdre Clune, and other members of the council in Cork City Hall before being brought across Parnell Bridge to the city centre for a public reception.
The team, including Cork players Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer, Anthony Horgan, John Kelly, Donncha O'Callaghan and Mick O'Driscoll as well as fellow Leesider coach Declan Kidney, will be introduced to the fans from a podium at the junction of Parnell Place and South Mall.
Cllr Clune said she was anxious that the team's achievement in winning the European Cup would be recognised with a reception in Cork and she was confident that they would get a huge and enthusiastic welcome from Cork fans.
Earlier in the day a number of the Cork players will pay a visit to Presentation Brothers College where many of the team, such as the half-back partnership of Ronan O'Gara and man of the match Peter Stringer, learned their rugby.
Over 40,000 fans braved torrential rain in Limerick on Sunday to welcome home the Munster team at a special reception in O'Connell Street and sources close to organising the Cork reception are expecting upwards of 20,000 people to turn out on Leeside for the event.
A Cork City Council spokesman said that there would be entertainment from 7pm with the team expected to arrive on stage at 8pm.
Special video screens would be erected on the South Mall and at the junction of Maylor Street and Parnell Place to ease congestion at the stage.
Major diversions will be in place from 4.30pm-10pm to facilitate the homecoming with all city centre routes affected by road closures and "no entry" signs being in place from 7pm while the northbound lane of Parnell Bridge will be closed from 4.30pm.
Parking will also be restricted on the lower end of the South Mall from 4.30pm and on Parnell Place from 1pm, with clamping and tow-away operations being enforced rigorously in the event of parking violations, said the council.
Cork City Council has arranged for Bus Éireann's Black Ash Park and Ride to operate until 9.30pm with buses terminating at Eglinton Street rather than Lapp's Quay from 4.30pm and people were encouraged to use the facility, added the spokesman.
