The long trip home to Donegal begins in earnest today by many local people scattered around the country and indeed, around the globe.
Unlike last year, there are no expected delays due to freezing conditions.
Met Eireann said it does not envisage any similar problems to last year in which hundreds of Donegal people were left stranded in airports and bus terminals because of the plunging weather conditions.
Even Daniel O’Donnell was forced to abandon plans to spend Christmas in Kincasslagh because of the heavy snow.
Gardai are asking motorists to allow plenty of time for their journey and to ensure their car are packed with warm blankets and a mobile phone in the event of becoming stranded.
“There will be a huge jump in the volume of traffic in the coming days and we would ask people to be patient.
“We would ask people to ensure tat their cars are all equipped with extra blankets and mobile phones are fully charged in the event that something goes wrong,” said a Garda spokesman.