Weekend for seafood and cool blues

Slurping oysters in the sun and chilling out to some cool blues music are among the entertainment options this weekend.

Slurping oysters in the sun and chilling out to some cool blues music are among the entertainment options this weekend.

As a wet summer yields to an early autumn of more pleasant weather, the last of the music festivals and arts events are also underway.

One of the greatest spectacles of the year takes place on the River Liffey between Kildare and Dublin tomorrow as hundreds of canoeists, including serious racers and leisure-time paddlers, take on the annual Liffey Descent.

From early morning, cars laden down with boats will make their way towards the Straffan starting point and the event finishes in the early afternoon - or whenever the last tired stragglers roll home - at Islandbridge.

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Best viewing points for the event include Straffan weir, Lucan weir and the Wren's Nest.

In Galway, the Clarinbridge Oyster Festival runs from today until Sunday and motorists are warned to expect high volumes of traffic on the N18.

The 13th annual Dublin Fringe Festival opens tomorrow, with some 118 shows across 40 venues scheduled for the next two weeks.

Also in Dublin, the You and Your Money Expo at the RDS Main Hall from today until Sunday will attract large crowds and a lot of traffic.

Racegoers are heading for Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath this evening, where the first race is off at 4.30pm and the last at 7.30pm.

In Monaghan town, the Harvest Time Blues Festival takes place at various locations over this weekend and up to 30,000 people are expected to attend. AA Roadwatch warns of potential traffic delays on local roads.

In Meath, the Planetlove dance festival takes place at Fairyhouse Racecourse tomorrow and major delays can be expected in Ratoath. The 9th annual Planetlove festival takes place at Shane's Castle in Antrim with a simultaneous event taking place, for the first time in the Republic, at Fairyhouse.

Dance music stars will perform over 12 hours as part of a 70-strong line up at each event. Dublin Bus is providing a return bus service from Dublin city centre at Parnell Sq from 12pm to 6pm.

Today, a number of road crashes have resulted in traffic disruption.

A lorry overturned on the N2 Slane to Ashbourne road at the new roundabout just north of Ashbourne and there is debris on the road. There are long traffic delays and gardai are on duty in the area. They expect the lorry will be removed by about 5pm.

There are also delays through Ratoath, with single-lane traffic on the Ashbourne side of the village until after 6pm.

A crash on the Glasheen Road in Cork at Flannery's pub has also resulted in delays.

In Waterford, the road at Mellery Hill near Mount Mellery, Cappoquin remains closed following an earlier crash.

The Kilmore Road (R739) in Wexford was also closed today between Ballycogly and Kilmore Quay after a crash today.

On the GAA front this weekend, the All-Ireland under 21 hurling final throws in at Croke Park at 2pm. Galway will do battle with Dublin for the title.

Met Éireann predicts that tomorrow will be a warm and dry day with sunny spells and light winds.

The meterological service says Sunday will continue dry in most areas, but increasing cloud may bring some patchy outbreaks of rain during the evening and night. Temperatures will be slightly down on recent days.