These pictures show just how packed Dublin city centre was yesterday on the first Saturday following lockdown.
As people flocked to the shops, restaurants and pubs, crowds filled the city centre's busiest streets.
Restaurants and pubs with a kitchen were permitted to open on Friday, and many were booked out for the weekend as the public eagerly tried to regain some normality.
Even the cold weather couldn't stop thousands descending on shopping streets and centres across the capital.
And it's expected to get even busier in the coming weeks, with some Henry Street traders returning to the city centre on Monday.
A stark report from the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) warned of extended school breaks in January if infection rates spike.
The report delivered a sharp reality check and said the risk of COVID-19 infection this Christmas remains high.
Experts suggested an extension of “school holidays” or a time of online distanced learning could be considered after the festive season.
It comes as Ireland recorded a further 13 deaths related to COVID-19 along with 456 new cases of the virus.
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