Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to festivals and outdoor events in mostly fine weather over the bank holiday weekend.
In Dublin several thousand people turned out at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park yesterday to listen to bands, view a ceramics exhibition and watch Taoiseach Bertie Ahern unveil a sculpture by the artist Brian King in Farmleigh's Pleasure Garden.
Most of the revelry around the country was good-natured according to gardaí, with the exception of 35 arrests during the Rally of the Lakes event in Killarney.
Some 17 of the arrests were for public order offences, much of them connected to youths speeding and doing wheelies in cars. A further eight arrests were for suspected drink-driving.
In the Rally of the Lakes itself, which attracted a reported 50,000 visitors, Tim McNulty of Meath and Anthony Nestor of Limerick triumphed in their Pierse Impreza race car, giving them their second victory in the rally.
In Limerick, the Riverfest saw crowds of up to 40,000. The festival programme included "River Shannon-igans" as the people of Limerick claimed dominion over the water; a Limerick International Barbecue Competition, an International Student Fashion Awards show, the European Market, Budweiser Global Beats and the Riverfest World Cup and RiverFringe.
Taking place at several venues in Dublin over five nights was the Heineken Green Energy Festival.Using Dubin Castle as its focal point, the festival gave music fans the chance to see major rock acts playing at venues dotted round the city.
Big name acts included Ian Brown, Kaiser Chiefs, and Snow Patrol and gardaí reported no major incidents.
In Bray, Co Wicklow, crowds gathered in the seaside town for the seventh annual Bray Jazz Festival.
The event this year presented a programme of more than 30 concerts and recitals, the highlight of which was the arrival of the American pianist and composer Andrew Hill.
In Cork the 52nd International Choral Festival attracted more than 100 choirs, while the vintage Engine and Tractor Association show at the Cork showgrounds saw many startling looking farm machines on display.