IT’LL CHICK IT DOWN
Heavy downpours set to batter the country
TORRENTIAL rain is set to make this Easter Bank Holiday Weekend a washout, weather bosses have warned.
Met Eireann said hail and heavy downpours will batter the country today and continue into tomorrow.
Today, the mercury will be between 3°C and 7°C while tomorrow will see highs of 13°C.
Met Eireann meteorologist Matthew Martin told The Star: “Saturday will start out mostly dry with some sunshine in the morning but during the late morning and afternoon – we’re going to see showers starting to become more widespread across the country some of them could be heavy with the possibility of hail too.
Cloudy
“We’ll have some showers on Saturday night moving north over the country so Easter Sunday itself will probably start out quite cloudy with showers.
“The rest of the day will bring a mix of sunshine and showers which will be frequent in the south and southwest.
“The best of sunshine on Easter Sunday will be in the north and the east of the country.
“On Easter Monday, it looks like it will be cloudy in the midlands and the south with outbreaks of rain and drizzle.
“It will be drier in the north with some sunshine but that rain will spread to much of the country later in the day.”
It comes as more than a quarter of a million people will jet out of Dublin Airport in search of sunnier climate over the Easter Break – while 240,000 will come here.
The DAA has encouraged passengers travelling this weekend to arrive two hours before any short-haul flights while those travelling long-haul should aim to get to the airport three hours before.
Graeme McQueen, media relations manager at DAA, said: “Our car parks are going to be full this weekend, so if you haven’t booked a space already then we’d advise passengers to plan to travel to the airport by bus, taxi, or to get dropped off by a friend.
Meanwhile, Cork Airport said it expects nearly 50,000 passengers to fly in and out this weekend – with yesterday the busiest day of the week.
And over the extended break, 130,000 are expected to use the hub.
Barry Holland, Cork Airport’s communications manager, said: “Easter is a busy time of year and this weekend, it also coincides with the start of our very busy summer schedule here at Cork Airport.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming almost 50,000 passengers, flying in and out.
Ceremony
For those staying in Ireland, a ceremony will take place at the GPO on O’Connell Street tomorrow to mark the anniversary of the Easter 1916 Rising, which will take place outside the GPO.
It will begin at midday and will be led by President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Micheal Martin.
Members of the Defence Forces will take part in the ceremony. A brass and a pipe band will also be present.
Organisers say the Irish flag will be lowered on the GPO at noon and the 1916 Proclamation will be read by an officer from the Defence Forces.
President Higgins will lay a wreath to commemorate those who died during the rising.
Meanwhile, yesterday hundreds took part in the annual The Way of the Cross, which began at the Wellington Monument and ended at the Phoenix Park.