Preparations continue for New Year's Eve celebrations

Final preparations are underway ahead of tonight's New Year's Eve celebrations.

Events will be held in towns across the country as people ring in 2014.

There will also be some larger events taking place in Dublin this year's NYE festival.

Traffic Alert Dublin- Dame St/Trinity St closed. College Green closed except for buses

— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) December 31, 2013

"For New Year's Eve, the big event happening is the countdown concert in College Green, which is headlined by Madness, which is an amazing band to come over especially for the gig," said event organiser Paul Davis.

"Also on the bill there is MKS, the former Sugababes, and The Strypes and Ryan Sheridan.

"There's going to be a people's procession of light earlier on in the evening, which will take place from St Stephen's Green and around and back up Grafton Street."

Looking forward to The Strypes playing at NYE. Let the countdown begin.. @nyedublin #lovedublin @Gathering pic.twitter.com/dNCyVR9pOH

— Fáilte Ireland (@Failte_Ireland) December 31, 2013

Those wishing to take part in the lantern parade are asked to gather in Suffolk Street at 6pm. There will also be lantern workshops during the day.

Dublin's celebrations were noted by the Lonely Planet last year, with the city being named in the top five destinations for New Year's Eve.