THOUSANDS OF music and sports fans will be taking to Irish roads this weekend as a number of high profile events take place around the country.
Ballsbridge in Dublin is set for an influx of boyband fans tonight as Boyzone play at the RDS Arena, supported by Sugababes and Hope. Gates open at 5pm, with the first act taking to the stage at 6pm, and Boyzone expected on stage at 8.30pm.
AA Roadwatch is warning of delays in Ballsbridge and Sandymount, with Anglesea Rd, Merrion Rd, Simmonscourt Rd, Shelbourne Rd and Pembroke Rd expected to be the worst affected.
Also in Dublin, Morrissey is set to perform at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham tonight, backed by the New York Dolls. Access to the area will be limited, with no on-site parking, and concert-goers are advised to take public transport to the event.
Neil Young plays at Malahide Castle tomorrow supported by The Frames. Traffic congestion can be expected in the area before and after the event.
In Cork, Christy Moore will play the Marquee tonight. The venue is located at the docklands on Centre Park Road. Meatloaf takes to the same stage tomorrow, with both events kicking off at 8pm.
Sporting fans are also catered for over the weekend, with a number of GAA fixtures scheduled to take place.
Antrim take on Galway in an All-Ireland hurling senior championship qualifier in Casement Park, Co Antrim. The game gets under way at 3.30pm, with additional traffic expected around the stadium before and after the event.
A number of Christy Ring Cup matches take place this afternoon, with Westmeath going up against Roscommon in Cusack Park, Mullingar, in the first round of the cup.
Carlow will play London at Dr Cullen Park in Carlow, and in Páirc Tailteann in Navan, Meath will take on Mayo.
Kildare, meanwhile, will face off against Derry in Newbridge, Co Kildare, with the match throw-in at 3.30pm.
Dublin and Westmeath will play in Croke Park tomorrow in the semi-final of the Leinster Senior Football Championship. Throw-in is at 2pm.
Up north, Down take on Armagh in the Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final in Clones, Co Monaghan at 4pm.
In racing, the Irish Derby is the big event of the weekend. The event takes place at the Curragh, with racing on today and tomorrow. Huge crowds are expected for this major festival on the racing calendar. Traffic in the area is likely to be very heavy over the weekend, with delays expected.
In other events, the Taste of Cork festival is taking place this weekend in Cork City Gaol and Heritage Centre. Motorists have been warned to expect extra traffic in the area over the weekend as a result of the festival which is expected to attract large crowds.
Part of Belfast city centre will be closed to traffic today, when the "Gulliver's Circus" hits the streets for the annual Belfast City Carnival. Academy St, Curtis St, Exchange St, Exchange St West, Edward St and Little Edward St will be closed to traffic from 7.30am, reopening early in the afternoon.
Some roads will be closed as the carnival procession passes, beginning at Writers' Square at 1.30pm before finishing at Custom House Square at about 3pm.
Drogheda residents are expecting some traffic disruption this weekend as the annual Samba Festival gets under way. The weekend's dancing and craic is expected to be a great attraction.
Meanwhile, a major international archaeological conference is to be hosted at UCD, starting tomorrow. Delegates from around Ireland, Europe, North America, China, Australia and New Zealand will attend the conference at the Belfield campus.
On the weather front, it is a continued mixed bag, with rain giving way to brighter spells throughout the weekend, according to Met Éireann.
There will be clear dry spells and occasional showers today but some of the showers will be heavy with the risk of thunder, especially tomorrow, the met office has warned.
