Gardai outline traffic plan for Sunday's Tullamore Show

Gardai have said they expect the number of people attending this weekend's Tullamore Show to be similar to last year's event, which drew a crowd of 35,000.

A landmark date on the county's calendar, the Tullamore National Livestock Show takes place for the twelfth successive year at the Butterfield Estate, Blueball, Tullamore, this Sunday (August 14).

A traffic management plan was outlined by An Garda Siochana this week with the aim of minimising the congestion and preventing undue delays "both to the attendees and non attendees alike."

The plan, which was posted on the Garda website, stated that there would be four large and "strategically located" car parks in use, which would take up a total area of 240 acres.

The car parks have been colour coded, with the 30-acre yellow car park, to the west/north west of the show site, catering to traffic from the Athlone, Clara or Rahan direction. The 100-acre green car park will cater to visitors from Tullamore town or Dublin.

The red car park (52 acres) will handle visitor traffic coming from Birr or Cloghan, while the blue car park (48 acres), to the south east of the showgrounds site, will take in traffic from Killeigh or Portlaoise.

"Alternative routes have also been selected around Tullamore, for traffic not attending the event, in order that they can avoid delays," said the Garda statement.

An Garda Siochana also advised people attending the show to "disregard Sat Navs or Google Maps" and to instead follow the road signs for show parking.

A disabled car park is being provided at the event site by the organisers, and all vehicles displaying disabled permits will be directed onto the event site.

"This car park will also accommodate elderly or infirm patrons," said the Gardai, adding that those wishing to avail of disabled parking should follow signage for 'Livestock Entrance' on the Greatwood Road.

All of the exhibitors at the show, with the exception of livestock, "will be directed to the main entrance of the site where they will gain access," said the Gardai.

"Livestock exhibitors only will, between 7.30am and 9.30am, gain access to the site via the closed section of the N52 onto Greatwood Road. In the evening, only cattle exhibitors will leave via the closed section of the N52."

The N52 road closure will be between Mucklagh Junction and Blueball. "Special arrangements will be put in place for anyone residing on that stretch of roadway, and for the single business premises located on it. Suitable diversions will be put in place for non-show traffic using this route," the Gardai said.

It added that parking restrictions would also be in effect in the show environs, and that local households affected would receive written notification of these restrictions.

The traffic management plan can be read in full here.