Thaw to set in on Sunday

IRELAND is expected to experience its first official ‘white Christmas’ since 2004 with temperatures set to rise slightly today but with no thaw until St Stephen’s Day at the earliest.

As well as severely hampering Christmas shopping, the arctic weather has seen another festive tradition hit with Sunday and Monday’s cards at Leopardstown cancelled and the prestigious meeting now just running from Tuesday to Thursday.

The Magners League rugby match between Connacht and Munster has been moved from Sunday to Monday, December 27, in the Sportsground, Galway.