Met Eireann has predicted gusts of up to 100km/h, with gales bringing a risk of flooding in coastal areas later today as the weather takes a poor turn.
A Status Yellow wind warning is in place from 8pm this evening until 2am on Sunday for Donegal, Galway and Mayo.
It reads: "Southwest winds will reach mean speeds of 50 to 65 km/h with gusts of up to 100 km/h."
Meanwhile, a Status Yellow marine warning adds: "Southerly winds will reach gale force 8 today (Saturday) on Irish coastal waters from Roches Point to Slyne Head to Malin Head, extending to all Irish coastal waters and the Irish sea this evening and early tonight."
The main forecast says that it will be dry with bright or sunny spells this morning, apart from scattered showers in the west.
However, cloud will thicken from the west, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle coming by the afternoon and heading east through the day, turning heavy in parts of the west and north.
The forecast adds: "Becoming windy with southwesterly winds increasing fresh to strong and gusty, with gales in western coastal areas later bringing a risk of flooding. Highest temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees."
Tonight it will be very windy early on, with gales in parts of the west and northwest, Met Eireann says.
Some heavy rain will persist amid other outbreaks and temperatures will drop to between 4 and 8 degrees.
Sunday is set to be cloudy with more rain, becoming more widespread through the afternoon and evening.
It'll also be windy again, with highest temperatures of 11 to 15 degrees.
The forecast for Sunday night reads: "The rain and drizzle will be most persistent in the north and west, and heavy at times in western parts of Connacht and Ulster. It will become mostly dry in eastern and some southern parts overnight.
"A very mild night with lowest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees. Rather windy with fresh to strong and gusty southwest winds, reaching near gale force and gusty in western and northwestern coastal parts."
Met Eireann's overview for the week states that it will become milder through the weekend and then very mild early next week, before turning cooler by midweek.
It adds: "Unsettled this weekend with some wet and windy weather, but becoming drier next week as pressure builds."
