With most people getting up early on Saturday morning to see Ireland play its first World Cup match, the organisers of a heritage boat rally in Offaly hope that crowds will come along to Tullamore harbour afterwards.
The heritage boat rally will be launched by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, at 10.30 a.m.
The public will be invited to travel with the boats to Boland's Lock and visit the restored Boland's Lock House.
Among the historical barges will be the 36M - which transported grain for Guinness to Carlow - and the 68M, a service barge rescued from underwater in 1983.
Barbecues will be held at the canal-side over the weekend and experienced walkers will be invited to walk the dry Kilbeggan branch line of the Grand Canal on Sunday.
Also on Sunday, the Floating Theatre Company and Tullamore schoolchildren will stage a pageant based on the voyage of Tuireann, at Tullamore harbour.