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Huge numbers of people are expected to travel to Dublin for Brian Cowen?s much anticipated election as Taoiseach on Wednesday, May 7

“There?ll be a festive atmosphere,” Tom O?Donovan of O?Donovan Cowen Solicitors, a firm in which Minister Cowen is involved, said. The solicitors firm is planning to close it?s doors on Wednesday with most of the staff travelling to Dublin to join in the celebrations.

Cllr Sinead Dooley said she took a call from an Offalybased coach hire company last Thursday, the owner informed her that they had only one coach left which she promptly booked. Cllr Dooley has spent the past week attempting to assist many of the people travelling to Dublin for the day.

The Offaly contingent have even arranged a designated meeting point in the city which they are keeping tight lipped on for now.

What is known is that the Tanaiste will be in the Dail for 2.30pm where he is expected to be nominated at 2.45pm. The vote should take place at 3.15pm and if all goes to plan he will arrive at Aras an Uachtarain where he will be appointed Taoiseach.

Following the appointment the Taoiseach will choose his cabinet who will then travel to Aras an Uachtarain before returning to the Dail for their first meeting which is expected to take place at around 9pm.

Gardai and the Civil Defence are preparing for a continuation of celebrations on Saturday and Sunday when the triumphant Taoiseach arrives home.

Visiting first Edenderry at 12 noon before leaving for O?Connor Square in Tullamore at 1.30pm where up to 10,000 people are expected to greet him, Brian Cowen will attend a Civic Reception in Aras an Chontae at 3pm before returning to his home town of Clara.

In Clara, the Civil Defence will be assisting with medical points set up around the town. Some Tullamore publicans are even putting on coaches to ferry people to Clara and back.

The tour of the county will not end in Clara however as Brian Cowen will visit Ferbane at 2.30pm and Birr at 4pm on Sunday, May 11.