MET Eireann is forecasting generally dry weather for the Republic's newest public holiday, the "May Day" bank holiday on Monday.
A spokeswoman said it would be "reasonably dry" today and Monday, but tomorrow will be duller with a few showers. The weekend will be cool with temperatures below normal.
Irish carriers have reported heavy inquiries for those travelling by bus, air and rail.
Iarnrod Eireann expects to carry 120,000 passengers on Intercity trains, with more than (20 special trains running in addition to the scheduled timetable.
On Monday, a Sunday service will operate on the DART. Suburban services to and from Kildare, Dundalk, Drogheda, Arklow, Maynooth and Mullingar will be cancelled on Monday.
Irish Ferries will carry 2,790 passengers and 450 vehicles on its Rosslare-Le Havre and Rosslare-Cherbourg routes and 19,000 on its Dublin-Holyhead and Rosslare-Pembroke routes.
The president of the Irish Hotels Federation, Mr Pat McCann, said Dublin and locations around the country were "very busy" for the weekend and reporting heavy bookings.
"A lot of hotels and guest" houses have brought together some very nice packages, making it attractive to go away. Normally this weekend marks the start of the tourist season, with overseas visitors arriving, and that boosted by the Irish holiday has brought great benefit to the industry.
There is a full list of sporting and cultural fixtures to suit the most discerning.
The traditional Dublin Council of Trade Unions' May Day march will assemble at noon on Monday in Parnell Square.
The DCTU is using this year's march to highlight the drugs problem. Mr Niall Irwin, president of the DCTU, said they were inviting all Dubliners concerned about the issue "to show their revulsion against the havoc it is wreaking on the city by participating in the march".
A big influx of visitors is expected in Galway for the third Budweiser Rhythm, Roots & Country Festival. The festival, now in its third year, will feature some of the top international acts alongside the cream of local folk and country artists. From Steve Earle & The Dukes to Jim Lauderdale, the Corrs to k.d. lang, the festival promises something for everyone.
In the south, Feile na Bealtaine (May Festival) will take place in Dingle over the weekend. Whether your interest is street theatre, drama, music, concerts, sculpture, art, poetry, literature, politics, archaeological trips or concerts, it's all there.
A May public holiday was one of the demands of the Labour Party when it sat down to strike an agreement with Fianna Fail; after the last election. The holiday was introduced in May 1994, when more than 150,000 turned out in Dublin to see the May Day parade.
The issue served to highlight the lack of public holidays in the Irish calendar and to clear up the mistaken impression that the Republic has more public holidays than any of its European neighbours.
Nothing could be further from the truth because Ireland is at the bottom of the EU league, with only eight until May Day was granted. Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg have 10.