Warnings on water safety, particularly the danger of children being blown out to sea on inflatable devices and the consumption of alcohol before water sports, have been issued ahead of the bank holiday weekend.
Traditionally August signals the worst month for water tragedies and safety groups have urged all those planning water sports, boating and swimming to take extra care.
John Leech, Irish Water Safety chief executive, said there were over 30 reports of drownings so far this year and August was the worst month on average for water tragedies.
He emphasised the importance of wearing life-jackets, and of the dangers of alcohol.
"Over 60 per cent of drowning victims would have taken some alcohol," he said.
A spokeswoman for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Ireland also warned about the dangers of children using inflatables such as rubber dinghies and dinosaur-style toys. "You see them in the Mediterranean but they are especially unsuitable for Irish waters as the weather can quickly turn and they can be blown out to sea," she said.
The RNLI had 116 emergency call-outs in June and 154 in July.
The Kerry Mountain Rescue Team has alerted all walkers to the extremely dangerous conditions on Carrauntoohil mountain in Co Kerry.
The group said the summit was surrounded on three sides by very steep ground, and had always required careful navigation.
This situation had been exacerbated in recent times by a visible "false" track which had developed leading from the summit directly towards dangerous ground.
It should be noted that there are no safe descent routes anywhere to the north, northeast, east or southeast of the summit, the group said.