Cancellations due to FMD Sport GAA: The GAA has confirmed that following ongoing discussions with the Department of Agriculture and the continuous monitoring of the Foot & Mouth situation, it was decided to postpone the AIB All Ireland Club Football Final and the replay of the Club Hurling Semi Final until next month, at a date to be decided (the Club Finals were scheduled to take place on St. Patricks Day). The Association has however decided to allow schools and colleges games take place from next weekend and Club games to take place from the weekend of 24th and 25th March, with Intercounty games resuming on 31st March/1st April. All Camogie fixtures and Ladies' Football games are also off, as are
all inter-county handball fixtures, juvenile and adult. Soccer: The FAI has decided that FAI Cup, Eircom League, Junior and under-age matches at all levels, countrywide, will not go ahead. Rugby:Ireland's Six Nations games against Scotland and England have been postponed until May. The IRFU has cancelled all rugby matches, without exception, including schools & all underage games. Athletics: The World Cross-Country Championships, which had been
due to take place in Dublin later this month will now be staged in Brussels
on the 24th and 25th of March. Swimming: Water Safety/Life-saving classes in Enniscorthy on Saturday night is canceled. Classes will recommence on Sat March 24th, providing the situation has improved. Any queries to Aine on 087 2871670. Wexford Water Safety wishes to apologize for any inconvenience caused. Horses: All Irish horse-racing is suspended until further notice
and all UK racing is suspended until next Wednesday. The Cheltenham Racing
festival due to take place next week has been abandoned but may be rescheduled
for April. Motorsport: The West Cork Rally to be held in Clonakilty on March
17/18 has been cancelled. Tennis: The annual East Cork Open Tennis Championship sponsored
by Royal & SunAlliance has been postponed until further notice to
co-operate with the Governments request to restrict unnecessary travel
in light of the present Foot & Mouth situation. Basketball: Irish Basketball's National Competitions Committee (NCC) have decided to abandon the 2000/2001 ESB League season due to the continuing Foot & Mouth crisis. Community Games: ESB Community Games have asked all counties to cancel all games and activities until further notice. Karate: Irish Open Karate Championships due to be held on 11 March
in Thurles has been cancelled. Walking: Ardara Walking Festival, Ardara, County Donegal 17-19 March has been cancelled. Hockey: On the advice of the Irish Sports Council and the Sports Council for Northern Ireland the Irish Hockey Association has informed all its Branches and Schools that there should be no competitive hockey in Ireland until after Sunday 25th March 2001. The situation will be reviewed on Monday 26th March 2001. Diving: Irish Underwater Council's Dive Ireland conference in Sligo on 10/11 March has been cancelled Rowing: The Irish Amateur Rowing Union has cancelled the Head of the River Race, scheduled for Galway on 18 March. Table Tennis: The Senior, U21 and Veterans Interprovincial Championships have been cancelled. The event was to be held at the University of Ireland in Galway and is the most important domestic event of the season. The National Championships in Newtownabbey, Co.Antrim were cancelled last week. The crisis will draw many of the scheduled international events in to doubt as well, and will have a devastating effect on the rest of the Irish table tennis season. The ITTA will endeavour to reschedule some of the events but with such a busy calendar it is unlikely that all will be accomodated. Scouting: Scouting Ireland has suspended all outdoor activities. The Irish Girl Guides has suspended all outdoor activities. Angling: The Irish Federation of Sea Anglers have cancelled all
Sea Angling competitions throughout the 32 Counties. All national and
Provincial fixtures are cancelled until further notice, clubs are also
asked to cancel local events. Caving: The body representing cavers, the SUI, has told its members to stay away from the countryside until further notice and have cancelled planed rescue training events. Mountaineering: The Mountaineering Council of Ireland has instructed all its members to stay away from the countryside. All Scottish Winter Mountaineering, Hillwalking, and Canoeing courses at Tiglin, The National Mountain & Whitewater Centre in County Wicklow have either been deferred or cancelled. Models: Cork Model Aero club has suspended all flying activity until further notice. Shooting: National Target Shooting Association of Ireland has postponed this year's National Championships, due to take place in Dublin on 10/11 March. Entertainment St Patrick's Day Parades on Saturday 17 March have been so far been cancelled in Dublin, Dundalk, Bray, Armagh, Limerick, Cork, Kilcock, Greystones, Aclare in Co Sligo and Fermoy. The Ancient Order of Hibernians parade in Magherafelt in South Derry has also been cancelled. Music: RTÉ Vanbrugh String Quartet With Michael Collins, Clarinet Thursday, 22 March in University College Cork The NSO/Irish Times Tour Tuesday, 27 March in Leisureland, Galway Please note that the concert on 23 March in the National Concert Hall,
Dublin will be performed as scheduled Theatre: 41st annual West Cork Drama Festival scheduled for 8-18
March has been cancelled. Dance: The 22nd annual Feis Mháigh Life Irish Dancing section
arranged for March 17th and 18th has been cancelled. Exhibitions: The Irish Marine Federation Boat Show, due to take
place at the RDS, 7 - 11 March, has been postponed. Recreation: 2000 All-Ireland Sheep Shearing Championships scheduled
for 3, 4 June, has been cancelled. Public Service Courts: All High Court sittings which involve people travelling to Dublin from abroad or from the country are postponed until further notice. Parties: Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, which was scheduled to take
place in Dublin this weekend, has been postponed. A half-day conference
for delegates and Dublin members will be held this Saturday. Services: The ESB has postponed all non-emergency line work until
further notice. Media: RTÉ has cancelled its public meeting at the Grand Hotel in Malahide on 13 March. Organisations: The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter will be closed to the public. Defence: The Defence Forces have cancelled all field exercises.
Meetings Politics: Fianna Fáil HQ has requested that all meetings of the Organisation be postponed. Unions: IMPACT branches have deferred all meetings. Education: The Centre for Adult Continuing Education, University
College, Cork has cancelled all its out-reach classes and tutorials in
counties Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford, Meath,
Kilkenny and Dublin until Tuesday, March 20th when the situation will
be further reviewed. Religion: The annual St Patrick's Day pilgrimage to Máméan
in Connemara has been cancelled. Business: Vintners Federation of Ireland meetings have been postponed
in Counties Carlow, Offaly, Donegal and Longford. The VFI Annual Dinner
Dance in County Waterford has been postponed and other functions due to
take place all around the country are currently being deferred until a
later date. Recreation: All Caravan Club Rallies planned for the period up
to the end of March are cancelled. Organisations: Cooperation Ireland is recommending people to postpone
all cross-border exchanges for the next two weeks. Attraction Closures Closure of Visitor Facilities at National Parks, Nature Reserves, National Monuments and Historic Properties. All Coillte Forests, including Forest Parks and Recreation Areas are closed to the public. All National Parks are also closed. Other closed sites closed include: Barryscourt Castle Charles Fort Doneraile Park Fota Arboretum Fota Wildlife Park Dublin Zoo Pearse Museum Phoenix Park Visitor Centre Dún Aonghasa Derrynane House The Blasket Centre Killarney National Park Muckross House Jerpoint Abbey Kilkenny Castle Céide Fields Brú na Bóinne Clonmacnoise Cahir Castle Rock of Cashel Roscrea Heritage Reginald's Tower JFK Arboretum Wexford Wildfowl Reserve Glendalough Visitor Centre Wicklow Mountains National Park Glenroe Open Farm in Wicklow, normally open for weekends in March. Cappanalea Outdoor Education Centre in Killorglin, County Kerry The Killarney National Park Education Centre. Tiglin, The National Mountain & Whitewater Centre in County Wicklow. Notices are being posted at all heritage sites, owned or operated by the Department, requesting visitors not to enter these sites in order to minimise the risks associated with this disease. In Dublin, Kilmainham Gaol, the Casino Marino, the National Botanic Gardens, St. Stephen's Green and the Phoenix Park will remain open. However, Dúchas is asking people not to visit these sites as far as possible for the moment. Public tours have been cancelled at Áras an Uachtaráin, Dublin Castle and Government buildings. All above infomation copyright ©RTE 2001 |