The World Irish Dancing Championships, due to be held in Ennis, Co Clare, at Easter have been cancelled because of the foot-and-mouth scare. Thousands of would-be Michael Flatleys and Jean Butlers were due to participate in the week-long events, the highlight of the Irish dancing calendar.
The Irish Dancing Commission, which hosts the event, said: "The spread of foot-and-mouth disease from Britain to northern France and the fact that approximately 35 per cent of the participants would have come from Britain were major determining factors in our making this decision."