Enniscorthy was already alive to the strains of traditional music last night as the town geared up for the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann.
The event may not officially begin until tomorrow, but that didn't prevent musicians from getting sessions under way in pubs around the town.
With a population of 8,000, it is something of a minor miracle that the north Wexford town can cope with an event which annually attracts 150,000 visitors or more. But cope it can, as it proved last year when there were just 14 arrests, for minor offences, over the weekend.
The organisers were showing no signs of complacency yesterday. "People said `you know what's in front of you this time around', but it doesn't get any easier. There are still 1,000 things to be done," said Mr Eddie Nangle, the public relations officer for the event.
These include the erection of Enniscorthy's own festival "dome", a large tent seating 1,600 people which is used for many of the competitions and ceilis, including the senior ceili band competition on Sunday.
Some 350 volunteers and a small number of staff are involved in organising the event, which has been run since 1952 by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann. The first fleadh, staged by the Pipers' Club from Dublin, was held in Mullingar.
The event is worth an estimated £10 million to local businesses. Enniscorthy Chamber of Commerce president Mr P. J. Darcy said the fleadh was the biggest of the many major events hosted by Enniscorthy in recent years, including the National Ploughing Championships, the Tour de France and a major 1798 commemoration.
"It brings in a good-humoured crowd and was very well organised last year so people are glad to have it back," he said.
Traditional music fans hoping to find accommodation at the last minute this week are out of luck. Many booked their beds as soon as Enniscorthy was confirmed as the venue last September and the nearest accommodation available yesterday was eight to 10 miles away, Mr Nangle said.
More than 40 extra gardai will be on the streets throughout the event, and officers have been drafted in from other stations in Wexford and surrounding counties. The Garda has also put a detailed traffic management plan in place.
For people attending the fleadh, traffic arrangements are as follows:
Traffic from Dublin and north Leinster: Take the N11 via Gorey, Camolin and Ferns. Park in car-parks A.
Traffic from the midlands: Take the N80 via Bunclody. Park in car-parks A.
Traffic from Rosslare and Wexford: Take the N11 via Oilgate. Park in car-parks B and B1.
Traffic from the Oulart area: Take the L30 to Enniscorthy. Park in car-park C.
Traffic from Kilkenny and south Leinster: Take the R702 out of Kiltealy. Park in car-park E.
Traffic from the Munster region: Take the N30 from New Ross. Park in car-park D.
For motorists not going to the fleadh, detours will be in place as follows:
Traffic to Dublin from Waterford/New Ross: Travel via Kilkenny or Carlow.
Traffic from Dublin to Wexford/Rosslare: Use the coast road from Gorey via Ballycanew and Wexford town. This traffic will be diverted off the N11 at the 65 Corner in Gorey.
Traffic from Rosslare/Wexford to Dublin: Use the coast road from Wexford to Gorey via Ballycanew. This traffic will be diverted at the first roundabout on the Rosslare road.
Traffic from Rosslare/Wexford wishing to travel to the midlands will follow the normal route along the N11 and on to the N80 at Scarawash. Likewise traffic from the midlands travelling to Rosslare will use the normal route. The traffic using these routes will experience delays due to the heavy volume of traffic attending the fleadh.
Traffic from New Ross will follow a short diversion in Enniscorthy town on the days of the event. New Ross traffic arriving in Enniscorthy on the N30 will be diverted down Herbie Murphy's road onto the Prom and back on to the N11 at the new bridge in Enniscorthy. Likewise, traffic heading towards New Ross on the N11 will use this diversion.
Traffic coming into Enniscorthy on the L30 from Oulart will be diverted at Craheen Cross to the Esmonde road and will come into the town at the new bridge. Likewise, traffic heading towards Oulart from Enniscorthy will use this diversion.
