Apres match (literally)

Apres Match, Westlife, Bellefire, Picturehouse and Six are on the bill tonight in the Phoenix Park, at the free homecoming party being thrown by the city for the returning Irish World Cup side.

There has been some controversy over the decision not to grant Ireland's World Cup team the more traditional welcome-home celebration of a tickertape parade through the capital. However officials felt they had not resolved safety concerns raised twelve years ago when the Italia 90 side had had their homecoming parade. Problems involved traffic chaos from the city centre to Dublin Airport. It was thought a concert in Phoenix Park was a more viable alternative.

The schedule for tonight's events is as follows:

4pm Gates open: bus service from Dublin City Centre begins (see below)

6pm Onstage performances begin

7.45 Irish World Cup team arrive (via helicopter) - official congratulations and welcoming ceremony

8.30 Bands re-take the stage until, according to sources, "well into the night".

All events are free.

Organisers are expecting 80,000 to attend (that's bigger than Slane) and have allocated 170 double deckers to ferry revellers from Dublin city centre to the party site. (The Park has been closed to all other traffic from today at noon.)

The bus service starts from 4pm and leaves the city centre from Georges Quay (opposite the Custom House, just beyond Tara St DART station) and from Wood Quay (across from the Four Courts). Fares are eur2 for adults and eur1 for anyone under 16.