While ESB crews worked through the afternoon and evening yesterday to restore power to some 1,500 homes in the east of the country, organisers of St Patrick's Day events around the State insisted that the show would go on - rain, hail or shine.
More than 1,000 homes in the south Dublin and north Wicklow areas were without power on Thursday night and part of Friday. Another 500 households in Kilkenny and Carlow were also hit by the bad weather.
Some 100 households in Seskin and Carricknamuc (just north of Hacketstown in Co Carlow), as well as 150 in Trooperstown, Co Wicklow, were without electricity last night. It is hoped that it will be restored by lunchtime today.
A spokesman for Met Éireann said that the worst of the weather was over and milder weather was expected.
"Most areas of the country experienced very strong winds. Some areas in Munster experienced rainfall of between 30 and 50 millimetres, and there was heavy snowfall in other areas, particularly Wicklow."
A move away from the wintry weather is already happening, he stated, and milder weather with temperatures between 9 and 11 degrees is expected over the next couple of days.
"It will continue to be unsettled and wet, with no day completely dry, so having umbrellas on standby is advised," he warned.
Ms Maria Moynihan, CEO of the Dublin St Patrick's Festival, said that they are confident bad weather will not impact on plans for the festival, which kicked off last night.
"We are told that there will be light winds tonight, which is good news for our fireworks display at 8 p.m. because a breeze ensures the smoke does not obscure the display. We are telling people to grab their coats, get their hats and leave their weather worries behind."
Mr Myles Breen, artistic director of the Limerick parade, said that the weather this week has made everybody quite nervous.
"We have two parades, one on Sunday and one on Wednesday, so we could be hit twice. But we won't let the weather stop us."
Mr Brendan O'Hara from Galway City Council said that, whatever the weather, the Galway parade would go ahead.