Dublin will face major traffic disruption on Bank Holiday Monday during street closures for the Dublin Marathon. O'Connell Street northbound between Middle Abbey Street and Cathal Brugha Street will be closed between 5.30 a.m.and 4 p.m.
Westmoreland Street, College Green, Nassau Street, Clare Street and Merrion Square North will be closed from 7.30 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. and from 9.20 a.m. to 10 a.m. Traffic will be diverted at D'Olier Street into Townsend Street and at DameStreet into Trinity Street.
Traffic will face delays and diversion along the whole route of the marathon, which goes as far south as Roebuck Road and Clonskeagh, Merrion Road, Foster Avenue, Eglinton Road, Waterloo Road, Cork Street, to Kimmage and St LaurenceRoad.
The main areas of restriction will be: from 9 a.m. to noon: Donnybrook Road, Morehampton Road, Mespil Road, Leeson Street Lower, St Stephen's Green South, Cuffe Street, Kevin Street, The Coombe, South Circular Road.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m: Clanbrassil Street, Harold's Cross Road, Terenure Road West, Greenlea Road, Fortfield Road, Templeville Road, Whitehall Road, Kimmage Road West. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m: Cromwellsfort Road, Walkinstown Road, Drimnagh Road, Errigal Road, Cooley Road, Davitt Road.
From noon to 3.30 p.m: Suir Road, South Circular Road, Inchicore Road, Sarsfield Road, Chapelizod Road, Benburb Street, Queen Street, Ellis Quay, Swift's Row, Abbey Street Upper.
Bus ╔ireann expects to carry up to 100,000 passengers on Expressway and provincial services throughout the country over the holiday weekend. Today normal services will operate. Bus ╔ireann has advised that where possible intending passengers should try to get earlier buses.
Tomorrow normal Sunday services will operate, but special services catering for weekend travellers returning to major centres will be cancelled, and on Monday a Sunday service will be in place, with extra buses and services to cater for people returning after the weekend.
On Tuesday a normal service will be in place, with a number of extra services including the addition of a 5.45 a.m. service from Rosslare to Dublin, a 6.30 a.m. service from Killarney/Castleisland to Limerick and Dublin and a 6.10 a.m. service from Tralee/Killarney and Cork. These services normally run on Mondays.
Both Aer Lingus and Ryanair expect to carry record numbers between Britain and Ireland over the weekend. Aer Lingus is expecting 104,000, a 20 per cent increase on the October bank holiday last year. Ryanair will carry 95,000 passengers, a 26 per cent increase. There is also evidence that many people are extending the holiday weekend and taking holidays abroad. Ryanair has said Paris is a particularly popular destination. Aer Lingus has increased its capacity to the US by 50 per cent or 16,000 seats and to Europe by 35 per cent or 21,000 seats. Sealink has increased its capacity on the Irish Sea.
Bad weather is expected to cause some disruption to sailings. Swansea-Cork ferry sailings today and tomorrow have been cancelled. Those planning to travel are advised to contact their ferry company before leaving for ports.
Sporting events planned for the weekend include the replay of the All-Ireland women's football final at Croke Park between Monaghan and Waterford tomorrow.
There will be racing today at Leopardstown and tomorrow at Galway and Wexford. The meeting at Tipperary has been cancelled because of water on the track.
In soccer, Finn Harps entertain Bray Wanderers at Ballybofey today at 7.30 p.m. and Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers meet at Sligo at the same time. UCD take on Derry City at Belfield tomorrow at 3.15 p.m.
At Pairc U∅ Chaoimh, the Cork senior hurling final takes place between Imokilly and Blackrock at 3.30 p.m.