That God it's Friday - how many times have you heard (or even daid) that? Well, this week was a real scorcher and hopes are high for a warm summer weekend in Ireland. Though the meteorological office tells us not to get our hopes too high.

So, if everything works out moderately fine, where could we head to?

• Galway Early Music Festival
• Guth Gafa Documentary Film Festival, Gortahork (Co. Donegal)
• Skerries Traditional Music Weekend (Co. Dublin)
• 10th West Cork Tourism Walking Festival, Sheep's Head Peninsula

Somehow Irish air traffic seems to be jinxed these days - after a string of price rises and route closures, British budget airline Flybe has now announced that its routes from Galway to Belfast and Southampton are axed as a cost-cutting measure. Which would indicate that they were operating at a loss. A Galway Airport spokesperson was quoted on RTÉ as (maybe a bit optimistically) stating that the airport "hopes the company will resume the flights next season".

Euromanx airlines, operating short-haul flights between Belfast and the Isle of Man, has grounded itself. After announcing a record start to the year with an increase in bookings this February, the company has now ceased trading with immediate effect. Facing the media a spokesperson said that "rising fuel prices and reduced passenger numbers have proved insurmountable obstacles."

In a dramatic move Polish low-cost carrier Centralwings has announced the closure of almost all Irish routes. This move comes after a slump in business has hit the fairly young operator. While most routes seem to be axed, some may be revived later. Centralwings' parent company LOT may even be comtemplating a complete closure of the budget airline according to some business analysts. This could, however, be even more expensive than the 21 million Euro losses of last year.

What's on in Ireland this weekend? Well, the event highlights are as follows:

• Wicklow Arts Festival, Wicklow Town
• Bord na Mona Navan Choral Festival and National Choir of the Year, Navan (Co. Meath)
• Clare Island Arts and Folklore Weekend (Co. Mayo)
• Cos Cos Sean Nos Festival, Drumcliffe (Co. Sligo)
• Maureen O'Sullivan Exhibition, Boyle (Co. Roscommon)
• 59th Kingdom County Fair, Tralee Racecourse (Co. Kerry)

Just a few days after budget airline Ryanair announced a rise in its baggage tariffs, Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus followed suit this Tuesday. In what was described by one observer a "me too" strategy. From May 8th (that is today) a new fee of € 12 will apply to baggage booked online while a fee of €18 will apply to baggage checked in at the airport.

This move has made check-in baggage at Aer Lingus more expensive than at Ryanair and was explained by Enda Corneille Read more...

One would have thought Bertie Ahern was to go out with a bang of some sort - but the taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), who today resigns after a torrent of grotesque, unprecedented, bizarre and unbelievable revelations surrounding his public and private life, chose to take a last stand wielding a sword. On the banks of the Boyne, facing the (also) outgoing First Minister of Northern Ireland, the Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley. Who'll also be handed a bladed weapon.

But while a few years ago this might well have been a slashing to the death on the battlefield that saw much of the same in 1690, today is bound to pass without major injury. The two political has-beens will use the swords to cut a ceremonial ribbon, not each other's throats.

The ceremony takes place at the new visitor center on the Boyne battlefield. This will turn what is effectively a field with some hedges into a tourist attraction - or so it is hoped. It is already highly popular with visitors from "the North" as the hallowed ground where Protestant supremacy was established - though it wasn't really a decisive battle and is commonly celebrated on the wrong day.

But today's official opening of the visitor center by the champion of the Union and the leader of "the Republican Party" is a powerful reminder how much Ireland has changed over the last few years.

The May Bank Holiday is traditionally jam-packed with events, throughout Ireland. One could say this weekend kicks off the event season in earnest - it is the first weekend with milder temperatures and a Monday off. So the three days up to and including the first Monday in May are usually something to look forward to.

How about this year? Here are some events that might tickle your fancy:

• Dublin hosts the International Dance Festival,
• Cork is alive with song due to the International Choral Festival,
• the Festival of Fools makes Belfast a rather foolish place not to be,
• in An Daingean (that's Dingle to you and me) the Feile na Bealtaine will have people in the streets (or pubs) and
• you'll be away with the fairies at Causey Farm ...

For a complete listing of the coming weekend's festivities and this month's events, go to our special page on Irish events in May ... I am sure you'll find something to do.

Irish budget airline will make traveling on a budget harder from next week - after raising their price for check-in luggage from € 6 to € 9 recently, Ryanair will slam another Euro onto this starting May 5th. At least Ryanair is honest about their intentions, in a related press release they bluntly state: "We will continue to increase baggage fees until half of our passengers check-in online, which will allow us to reduce check-in and handling costs and pass on these savings to our passengers in the form of Europe’s guaranteed lowest fares."

Some surprise ... with all the marketing hype one might think that places like the Cliffs of Moher or the Blarney Stone are the hot shots in the Irish tourism stakes. Well, apparently they are not. A recently released statistic on visitor numbers highlighted the following three attractions:

Third Place went to the Rock of Cashel - which to me came as a bit of a surprise. It not exactly being in the middle of the main tourism regions and amounting to nothing more than "a pile of stones". Obviously there must be more travelers with an interest in history about than I thought. Which is a comforting bit of news.

No surprise in second place - the Guinness Storehouse made this without a hitch. Being something of a holy pilgrimage site to the thirsty, the exhibition on the history of "the black stuff" seems to be well-frequented throughout the year indeed. With the multitude worshipping at the altar of Arthur, who converted Liffey water into beer.

Fanfare: Dublin Zoo takes the first place, but here local visitors might actually make up the main bulk of those parting with the entry fee. The zoo is, after all, a classic family attraction, a typical "day out" and right in the most densely populated area of Ireland. It is also a great day for a stroll and to see curious creatures - which may also have been on the mind of a female orang utan that went walkabout outside her enclosure recently.