The St Patrick's weekend festivities will go into overdrive today and tomorrow in Dublin, with the freedom of the city being conferred on Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi, U2 and their manager, in tandem with seven tonnes of fireworks and the Sting concert at the Point.
Thousands of television viewers will have seen Aung San Suu Kyi accept the offer of Dublin Corporation's highest honour on RTE's Prime Time on Thursday. Today she will be officially awarded the freedom of the city at a ceremony in Smithfield Civic Plaza at 5 p.m. Her son, Kim, will collect the award on her behalf.
U2 and their manager, Paul McGuinness, will also be awarded the freedom of the city for their work as international emissaries for Ireland.
A funfair will take up most of the afternoon and evening at Custom House Quay and George's Quay from noon to 11 p.m.
The Noah's Ark community pageant is due to start at Busaras at 8 p.m. and will move along to City Quay.
Virtually in tandem with this is a series of "international" parties that may be seen throughout the city from 9 p.m. onwards: "Sarruga" in Grafton Street from 9 p.m., and "Masquerade 2000" from 9.30 p.m. at Temple Bar. Taxi-sharing will operate from Foster Place from midnight to 4 a.m.
The Festivities continue tomorrow with a "Big Day Out", courtesy of TV3, at College Green, Westmoreland Street, Dame Street and George's Street, between noon and 6 p.m.
Then SkyFest 2000, a National Millennium Committee project, officially begins. It will stretch from Capel Street Bridge to Sir John Rogerson's Quay on the south quays and to Butt Bridge on the north quays, with a major fireworks display beginning at 8 p.m.
Doors will open at the Point Theatre at 7 p.m., and Sting will come onstage at 9 p.m. Because of the fireworks display on the North Wall Quay, major traffic restrictions may be expected.
Entry to the Point will be possible only via the East Link Bridge and East Wall Road. No parking will be allowed on East Wall Road or the North Wall Quay. Buses will be available from Lower Gardiner Street to the Point from 6.45 p.m.
Dublin Corporation has warned that traffic disruption may be expected between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. during the Noah's Ark pageant from Store Street to City Quay. The following streets will be closed: City Quay from Moss Street to Lombard Street East; Custom House Quay from Memorial Road to Commons Road.
During the Freedom of the City ceremony, between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., a cordon will be placed around the area bounded by Queen Street/Arran Quay/ Church Street/North King Street. North King Street will be closed to through traffic from Queen Street to Church Street. Access will be maintained for local businesses and residents.
Between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Westmoreland Street, College Street, Dame Street and Suffolk Street will be closed. For the SkyFest, Custom House Quay will be closed between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Also, between 4 p.m. and 9.30 p.m., a cordon will be placed around the area bounded by East Wall Road/Sheriff Street Upper/Seville Place/Porland Row/ Summerhill/Parnell Street/Capel Street/Parliament Street/Dame Street/College Green/College Street/Pearse Street to Grand Canal Quay.
This includes the north and south quays from Capel Street Bridge to the East Link Bridge. Controlled access will be maintained for residents. Butt Bridge and Matt Talbot Bridge will remain open throughout the festivities.