Those looking for a break from the economic woes and emergency budget blues will have plenty to shout about this weekend, with a litany of sporting and cultural events taking place around the country.
Soccer, rugby and racing enthusiasts are all well served, but those who prefer other forms of entertainment; plenty of alternatives are available.
Republic of Ireland take on Bulgaria in the World Cup Qualifier at Croke Park tomorrow at 7.45pm. Fans are reminded that traffic restrictions will be in place with delays expected in Drumcondra and surrounding areas.
In rugby, Leinster will face off against Ulster in the Magners League at the RDS main arena. Kick-off is at 5.30pm on Sunday.
The DLR Poetry Now international poetry festival is taking place in the Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire.
The festival will see workshops, talks and readings by a gathering of Irish and International poets over the weekend.
Ballsbridge in Dublin will see art lovers gathering for the Art Ireland Spring Collection in the RDS. The event will be taking place from 11am to 7pm tomorrow and Sunday. AA roadwatch is warning of delays through Ballsbridge and Sandymount, with Anglesea Rd, Merrion Rd, Simmonscourt Rd, Shelbourne Rd and Pembroke Rd expected to be the worst affected.
In Gort, Co Galway, the second ‘Forge at Gort’ literary festival is taking place, with a workshop on self-publishing tomorrow morning at 11am, a children’s reading in the library at noon and a talk by archaeologist Michael Gibbons in the library at 3pm.
On the weather front, it is a continued mixed bag, with showers in the North and East giving way to brighter spells throughout the weekend, according to Met Éireann.
Tomorrow will become drier and less windy in the afternoon, with some good sunny spells at times.
Sunday will be mostly cloudy, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle becoming more widespread, but there will also be good dry intervals, especially in the east and south.