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AS YOU’LL NO doubt be aware, a raft of Easter Rising centenary events are taking place this weekend.
The actual day of the start of the rebellion was on 24 April in 1916 – however, most of the official ceremonies and parades are taking place over Easter.
These are the main events taking place between today and Monday:
Gardaí are planning for an attendance of 500,000 people on both Sunday and Monday – so crowds on a scale similar to St Patrick’s Day. Today should be quieter.
People are being urged to use public transport where possible if heading into the city centre this weekend. That said there will be changes to arrangements for buses, trains and taxis. You’ll find a run-down of the full changes to public transport here and don’t forget a Luas strike takes place on Sunday and Monday, affecting all tram services.
The main Sunday Parade begins at 10am at Stephen’s Green, proceeds to the GPO and then ends at Bolton Street at around 3pm (see route map below).
We can’t stress this enough – expect significant road closures tomorrow all around the north and south city centre from the Royal Canal to the Grand Canal. If you’re not planning on visiting the city, avoid the general area.
Extra DARTs are running, five times an hour, at maximum train length in advance of the parade, between 8.30am and 10.30am. Heading in the other direction, there’ll be extra DARTs heading out of town from 2.30pm.
Commuter services are also being increased along a similar pattern. Intercity trains are being increased to maximum size.
More: Irish Rail >
A full strike takes place on Sunday and Monday, although the service will be running today.
The announcement, on Thursday evening, followed the rejection by workers of Workplace Relations Commission proposals aimed at resolving the long-running dispute at the Dublin tram service.
Transdev, which runs the Luas, has said it will not be bringing in buses to cover the routes.
More: Luas >
What about buses?
O’Connell Street’s closed off today, so many north city Dublin Bus routes are operating via Parnell Street, Gardiner Street and surrounding areas instead.
More significant street closures are planned for Sunday, so as a result ten temporary termini will be set up around the city (see map at top of this article). On Monday, we’re back to just O’Connell Street being closed off.
Bus Éireann is running a significantly enhanced timetable tomorrow as the main celebrations take place, while a small number of termini are being relocated. A Saturday timetable will run on Bank Holiday Monday.
More: Bus Éireann >
And taxis?
You won’t be able to get that close to the city centre at all in a taxi on Sunday as a result of the road closures.
Coming from the Northside, taxis will be stopped at the Five Lamps; from the west at Heuston Station; and from the southside, at the Grand Canal.
The situation will be back to normal for the city on Monday, but the taxi rank on O’Connell Street will stay closed until the following day.
More: Transport for Ireland >
What if I want to bring the car?
Avoid it like the plague – particularly tomorrow.
“Public transport is strongly advised,” the official advice says. Details of car parks can be found on Parkopedia. The following car parks, however, will be closed to the public on the day: Arnotts; Q- Park Clerys Marlborough Street; Irish Life Abbey Street; Parkrite IFSC; Euro Car Parks Convention Centre; and Euro Car Parks Point Village.
More: Parkopedia >
And is everything open to the public?
Some of the events this weekend are open to the public, others are open but of limited capacity due to the size of the venue, some – like the Imagining Home concerts – are ticketed, and others – like the event for relatives – are invite-only. (Full details here).
6,000 places around Middle and Lower O’Connell Street have been reserved for invited guests during tomorrow’s parade – including some 5,000 relatives.
Any final advice for a hassle-free day?
You can soak up the atmosphere while watching a relay of the parade events on big screens at the following locations tomorrow:
For an extremely hassle-free day tomorrow, you can simply watch the parade on TV (Brian Dobson and co will be on duty on RTÉ One from 9.30am) and keep up to date with our coverage here at TheJournal.ie.
You’ll find full details on all the events this weekend in this post.
I’m too tired to read this now..
So many green thumbs
A bowl of porridge before bed, sleep like a pensioner
Pensioners only sleep for about 5 hours a night…. think I’ll give the aul porridge a miss :-P
Have a child!! Staying in bed/asleep past 8 on a weekend is a distant dream.
8am would be a lie in, my youngest boys don’t believe in sleeping past 6:30. I need match sticks at 8pm just to stay awake
my little guy just slept in till 9, cant believe it!
Indeed. My ‘wee fellow’ is normally wide awake and raring to go a good hour before I am, most morning.
the early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!
The early worm gets caught by the bird
Of course you need an irritating alarm. I tried out this “pleasant” alarm tone theory recently, I set “church bells” as the tone. I ended up waking up an hour late but had a pleasant dream that I was in Rome. I wonder what the consequences would’ve been if I’d set it as “water flowing”. Phew…
you can get an alarm that requires you stand on a mat to switch it off!
sleep deprived here from being up every hour feeding a baby. I am dark eyed and knotty tailed!
IT’S GONNA BE A BIG BABY IF YOU KEEP THAT UP…..
don’t shout, it hurts my head. It’s called a growth spurt – meant to make the baby bigger!
Hear your pain :(
Up every hour feeding during growth spurt than back to 3 hour feeds…you feel like a new person with 2 hour sleep!!
I feel your pain Sandra, growth spurts are so hard. Makes me appreciate the 6:00 am starts now they are a little older. Don’t miss the sleep deprivation at all.
Ahh yes.
I remember my spurts.
Long time ago now…
Im just going to bed.. :-) on a week of nightduty .. if i sleep with curtains open.. ill never get up cos it’ll be dark! have a good day Everybody. zzzz
Men – if planning a baby encourage your partners to breastfeed. You’ll get lots of sleep!
Nah, they are just pretending to sleep so that you’ll get up and they can stat in bed.
Yes whoever invented the phrase slept like a baby, should have said, slept like a husband!!!
……just go to bed earlier
Simple really!
I gave up the drink for January and so far waking up at weekends is great not feeling wrecked and curled up in a ball in bed all day.
Morning!! Was up at half six for work! On my day’s off though I might lay on till at least eight!
Cousin of mine has a alarm that is a mat/weighing scales on the floor and its set to his weight to turn it off he has to put his full weight on it for 10 seconds. Works like a dream ;)
Sleeping with the curtains open really helps, except for during the Irish winter, when its just depressing!!
Would you not wake up at 5.30am in June?
If you are having trouble getting a good nights sleep read this article
Being a milkman 20 odd years ago helped me.
Daddy?
John, I am not your father.
I have one of them ‘wake up to light’ alarms… surprisingly good!
Totally agree. I have a “Lumie” alarm clock which simulates sunrise over the 30 mins before the alarm goes off. MUCH easier to wake up, and I am NOT a morning person!
best way to get up earlier is to go to bed earlier.. doh!
These are all dreadful tips. Ok, I agree with No. 6 but that’s it. What a lot of misery & you’ll probably not sleep afterwards to boot. Ever the optimist, moi!
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