Ireland is eventually getting back to normality, but many restrictions are still in place for the time being.
With a decent weather forecast for most areas this Bank Holiday weekend, everyone wants to know - what can we actually do to enjoy the three day weekend?
We can go out to eat and drink, kind of.
Today, hotels and B&Bs opened up again for overnight guests. Guests can make the most of all facilities, including restaurants and bars.
So if you have the money to splash out on a hotel break this weekend, you’ll be able to have your dinner inside the restaurant and sip a pint in the hotel bar.
For the rest of us, outdoor dining isn’t back open until Monday. While the weekend is practically over by then - and we'll have to go back to work the next morning - you can make the most of the long awaited return to outdoor bar and restaurant service by booking a table of up to six people.
Be quick, though. Lots of people are eager to get back to restaurants and pubs and premises can only pack so many of us into beer gardens and terraces in accordance with social distancing guidelines.
We can’t eat or drink indoors
This Bank Holiday is one for outdoor dining. Indoor service won’t resume for another month, on July 5.
At least we might be able to enjoy a pint indoors for the August Bank Holiday, if all goes to plan!
We can go to the cinema
Need to find something to entertain both yourself or your kids for a few hours this Bank Holiday Monday?
Why not get back to the cinema when it reopens and spend an afternoon of entertainment out of the house after months of only telly and Netflix.
We can visit friends or family
Unless you are lucky enough to be fully vaccinated, you can’t have any visits from friends and family until Monday.
According to the restrictions in place right now, we cannot have any visitors in our homes.
However, fully vaccinated people can visit unvaccinated people from one other household. Fully vaccinated people can also meet indoors with other fully vaccinated people.
Three households or six people from different households can meet outdoors.
After Monday though, we are officially allowed visitors inside our houses from one other household, so pick your favourite household and invite them over for the first time in a long time this Bank Holiday Monday.
We can go to the gym and swimming pool
Need to lose a few pounds of lockdown pudge? Well you’ll have to wait until Monday to get back to the gym or take the kids swimming again.
At least you can enjoy your Saturday and Sunday guilt-free knowing you couldn’t go to the gym anyway.
We can’t take an international weekend away
Feel free to book a staycation in Ireland this banker, but don’t even think about planning to travel further afield.
Ireland won’t be using the EU Digital Covid Cert until July 19, so non-essential international travel is banned until then.
Another month and a half until we can take a foreign holiday again.
