Dublin is experiencing its best pre-Christmas shopping in a decade, according to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.
And suburban shopping centres are also experiencing an increase, with some reporting customer numbers up almost 15 per cent yesterday on the same day last year.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, traditionally a school holiday and the day for country shoppers to visit the capital, proved to be brighter, cooler and less windy than recent days, with a knock-on effect of less difficult driving conditions.
Shoppers made the most of the respite, filling the city and its satellite shopping centres.
According to Aebhric McGibney, director of policy and communications at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, spending is up by 8-10 per cent in the city on last year.
"This could well be the best pre-Christmas for 10 years," he said. Better value and deals from the city's retailers to compete with the threat posed by shopping trips to New York is helping to lure shoppers to Dublin in greater numbers, he said.
And growing incomes, greater levels of employment and what was widely perceived as a giveaway Budget are all factors behind the shopping boom.
The feelgood factor has been fuelled by the drop in oil prices and some SSIA money filtering through for big ticket items, he said. Outlying shopping centres including Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown also had a bumper day yesterday.
Denis O'Connell, director of Liffey Valley, said 50,000 people visited the centre during its 12 hours of opening.
"Shoppers were in from early morning and we were up 15 per cent on the same day last year."
Michael O'Hagan, general manager of Blanchardstown shopping centre, said 60,000 people passed through their centre yesterday.
"There has been great growth in footfall and customer spend of 10 per cent," he said.
"There was also an unprecedented queue for the new games console Nintendo Wii, which was launched yesterday."
Elsewhere, retailers are also reporting a good start to the season.
In Cork, trading was at least as strong as last year if not stronger, according to the chamber of commerce.
Galway shoppers were out in huge numbers and Limerick Chamber of Commerce said new initiatives had paid off and attracted record numbers.