Festivals, finals and fleadhs to fuel fun weekend

The mass mobilisation that is the May bank holiday weekend is nearly upon us.

Bags are packed, picnics are prepared, and there are two big red dots highlighting A and B on the map.

Now all you need to do is get from the first to the second without having to talk lawyers with the other half.

Rule number one - on this the first weekend of summer - is leave early. There are festivals, finals and fleadhs all over the island this weekend, so no matter where you are going there are bound to be complications.

In Dublin city centre a march of the trade unions will be played off by the Communications Workers Union Band at 2.30pm and will be led by the Tallaght Salsa Band.

In Kildare, Punchestown is beginning to wind down, but there is still a day's racing to go after today and about 20,000, mostly disgruntled, punters will be leaving at around 18.30 this evening. Delays on the N7 and N81 can be expected around this time.

Leinster host the Ospreys at Lansdowne Road at 7.35pm tomorrow night, but it is debatable whether there will be much of a crowd at Lansdowne Road after last week's defeat to "Monster".

There is a full eircom Premier League fixture list this weekend and five games this evening. St. Patrick's Athletic host the champions Cork City at Richmond Park in Inchicore, and so approaching the N4 or N7 from this direction is not advisable.

In the south there should also be a decent crowd for the game between Waterford United and Derry City at the RSC.

Elsewhere, the Limerick River Fest will force the closure of Michael Street until 5.00pm on Monday May 1st. Georges Quay will also be off limits until Sunday evening.

The National hunt season will end in Punchestown on Saturday, and those in a hurry should avoid Naas on race days.

In Dublin Snow Patrol will kick off the Heineken Green Energy music festival with their inoffensive pop-rock.

Expect crowds of not so sure-footed students around Dublin Castle.

Former Stone Rose Ian Brown is next in line for Dublin Castle on Sunday. He will be supported by south Dublin's paradoxical hip-hop heroes Republic of Loose. Brown's ego alone is expected to cause serious delays around the city centre.

Thurles is the place to avoid on Sunday, unless you are a hurling fan. Connoisseurs Kilkenny play Limerick in the Division One final, while Dublin face Kerry in the earlier Division Two final. Throw in at Semple Stadium is 1.30pm.

There will also be racing at Kilkenny (N9) and Meath (N3), while in Donegal a 10-kilometre charity walk will slow things down in Letterkenny. Up to 1,000 participants are expected.

On Monday in Dublin 2, the Green Energy Festival continues at Dublin Castle, with the Kaiser Chiefs who - apparently - predict a riot!

Racing at the Curragh, Limerick and Down Royal should also attract good crowds.

More information on other events can be found at the AA Ireland website, listed below alongside the sporting fixture pages.