The last remaining travel restrictions were lifted this month.

Now Cork Airport is preparing for the busiest bank holiday weekend in three years, with over 26,000 passengers expected to travel through its halls over the course of the extended St. Patrick’s Day break.

Over 5,000 passengers are anticipated on Sunday, March 20th alone, thanks to the addition of an extra bank holiday and the return of horse racing enthusiasts travelling to and from the Cheltenham Festival.

The bumper St. Patrick’s weekend passenger forecast is a strong start to what promises to be a busy number of weeks at Ireland’s second-busiest airport, which is forecasting 2.1 million passengers this year.

“St. Patrick’s Weekend and particularly, the Easter Bank Holiday weekend which follows, traditionally kicks off the busy aviation summer period,” said Cork Airport Managing Director, Niall MacCarthy.

“After two long years of COVID-19, people want to get travelling and Cork Airport staff are ready and waiting with our famous ‘Céad Míle Fáilte’ for passengers.”