It's the final Bank Holiday weekend of the summer, and while there's plenty of entertainment on offer it looks like there will be little in the way of sunshine.
Met Éireann is forecasting a somewhat mixed weekend weather-wise with some bright spells but also bands of rain and cloud coming in from the Atlantic.
The annual pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick takes place on Sunday. Last year over 20,000 people made the ascent, starting at Murrisk Abbey. Traffic will likely be extremely heavy throughout the day, and motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible.
There's plenty of sporting action on this weekend including the Irish Open in Killarney, Co Kerry, and the Irish Festival of Speed at Adare Manor in Co Limerick.
Kerry will play Limerick at 2pm, and Mayo meet Cork at 4pm on Sunday in the Senior football championship quarter-finals at Croke Park. The Galway races continue at Ballybrit racecourse over the coming days, and there's also racing on in Naas and Cork.
Manchester City are promising to select a strong side for this weekend's Dublin Super Cup, which also features Inter Milan, Celtic and an Airtricity XI. Manager Roberto Mancini has selected an impressive squad for the Premier League side's visit to the Aviva Stadium with David Silva, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli among those who may play. New record signing Sergio Aguero may also make his debut for the club after completing his signing yesterday.
Musicwise it's a good time to be in Dublin over the next few days with former Smiths frontman Morrissey at Vicar Street tonight and tomorrow, Prince at Malahide Castle tomorrow night, and 2ManyDjs, Bell X1 and Rodrigo y Gabriella all headlining separate nights at Marley Park.
Outside of the capital there are a number of music festivals taking place this weekend including Castlepalooza at Charleville Castle in Tullamore, Co Offaly. Hip-hop legends Naughty by Nature headline the three-day event, while Hudson Mohawke and Jape also feature.
Duke Special, Aslan, Ryan Sheridan and Sharon Shannon are among the acts at Le Cheile Festival in Oldcastle in Co Meath, while The Reich Effect Festival continues in Cork this weekend with Efterklang at the Savoy Theatre tomorrow and Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson at Triskel Christchurch on Sunday.
Also in Cork this weekend, the Mitchelstown Indiependence Festival takes place with a strong line-up that includes Ash, Editors, and The Coronas.
Féile na Laoch - which runs until Monday in the Cuil Aodha glen, west Cork - is a celebration of Ireland’s cultural heroes and will feature storytellers, poets, actors, dancers, singers, and musicians. The féile was inspired by the life and work of the composer and bandleader Seán Ó Riada and was the brainchild of his son Peadar.
The jam-packed festival programme features street theatre, a parade, an open air ceilí, a Honda 50 and vintage car fancy dress rally, a liturgical concert and a pilgrimage. Trevor Sargent is among a number of speakers who will address a conference on Sunday on work and its place in the country’s future.
Elsewhere, Crosshaven’s recently reopened Fort Camden will host a military re-enactment with a weapons display tomorrow and Sunday. The American Airbourne 101 parachute regiment returns to the fort at Rams Head, Cork Harbour, for battle and weapons displays.
Almost 100,000 people are expected in Waterford this weekend for the annual Spraoi, while elsewhere, the Bray Summerfest in Co Wicklow, the Killarney Summerfest in Co Kerry and the Crossmolina Festival in Co Mayo all continue.
Over the past 10 years, 195 people have been killed and seriously injured during the August Bank Holiday weekend, and the Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána have called on motorists to be careful when driving over the coming days.
Road users are reminded that checkpoints will be in place across the country this weekend to monitor high-risk behaviour.