Detailed traffic and parking restrictions and arrangements were yesterday announced for the opening festivities of Cork 2005 European Capital of Culture tomorrow.
The outdoor spectacle which takes place on the River Lee and all around the city centre is billed as the largest of its kind ever undertaken in Ireland.
Cork 2005 organisers today outlined city-centre traffic plans for the opening weekend.
A number of road and bridge closures will be put in place to facilitate the programme of events and also to ensure the safety of spectators during the National Lottery/Cork 2005 Awakening ceremony and fireworks.
St Patrick's Bridge will be closed from 3 a.m. today to midnight.
Christy Ring Bridge will be closed from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow.
One of the largest street carnivals ever held in Ireland will take place from 2 p.m. tomorrow.
To facilitate the carnival, there will be extensive city-centre street closures.
The streets which will be closed from noon to 8 p.m. tomorrow are: St Patrick's Street; Merchant's Quay; Oliver Plunkett Street; Robert Street; Cook Street; Marlboro Street; Princes Street; Smith Street; Eglantine Street; Tuckey Street; Lapp's Quay; Half Moon Street; Paul Street; Devonshire Street; St Augustine Street; Bridge Street; Camden Quay; Pine Street; St Patrick's Quay; Harley Street; Brian Boru Street; Brian Boru Bridge; Andersons Quay; Clontarf Street; Terence McSweeney Quay; Deane Street; and Lavitt's Quay.
The alternative routes around North Link Road between Camden Quay and Leitrim Street, which will be signposted, will be via Albert Street, Custom House Street, De Valera Bridge and Michael Collins Bridge.
All city centre multi-storey car parks will be open tomorrow.
However, members of the public planning to travel into the city centre for the National Lottery/Cork 2005 Awakening ceremony are asked to note that travel to and from the city centre by car will be restricted from noon until 8 p.m. tomorrow due to the road closures.
Members of the public are encouraged to use public transport where possible when journeying to the city centre.
Black Ash park-and-ride facility will run an extended service tomorrow, with the last bus leaving the city centre at 9 p.m.
Amendments to Bus Éireann services were also announced. All north-bound Cork city bus services that normally operate from St Patrick's Street will operate from Merchant's Quay.
Provincial, suburban, expressway and south-bound city services will operate as normal today.
Tomorrow all provincial, suburban, and expressway services should operate as normal.
However, members of the public are asked to note that there may be delays due to traffic and crowd congestion.
Services from noon to 7 p.m. will be affected, with services operating close to, but not into, the city centre.
As city-centre bus services will not operate through the city centre, and the 2, 3, 7, and 8 services will not provide cross-city connections.
The 224 bus service to Blarney, Tower, Cloghroe, and Stuake, which normally operates from St Patrick's Quay, will operate from the bus station, until Sunday.
The following bus routes can be accessed as follows: 5, 8, 10, and 14 at the Westbound Terminus at South Main Street; the 3, 6, 7, 10 from the south-bound terminus at South Terrace; the 2 from the south-bound terminus at Eglinton Street; the 7, 8, 12 from the north-bound terminus at St Patrick's Church, Lower Glanmire Road; and the 2 and 3 from the north-bound terminus at Carroll's Quay.
For further details please contact Bus Éireann at (021) 4508188.