A professor of immunovirology has said we could be looking at All-Ireland Finals getting the go-ahead without masks later this year.
It comes as new research suggests holding mass events without masks and social distancing can be as safe as going to a restaurant or shopping centre.
That is according to preliminary results from government-run COVID-19 trials in Britain.
The data from the controlled test events suggests that with screening, improved ventilation and other mitigating factors the risk of virus transmission can be significantly reduced.
Liam Fanning, professor of immunovirology at UCC, told Newstalk Breakfast the results are encouraging.
He said under Ireland's current vaccine timetable, we could be looking at similar events here shortly.
"We're looking at perhaps maybe the end of July, maybe early August, for a similar decision to be made in Ireland.
"I think we might be looking at maybe All-Ireland Finals without masks.
"I think Croke Park - it holds over 80,000 - I think you could probably have 15,000/20,000 people in there.
"At that stage, you'll probably have to be vaccinated to go to one of these events anyway".
'Dropping the mask'
He said it depends on when Ireland reaches a certain vaccine threshold in its population.
"Fascinating study altogether, very encouraging, very interesting results which build on what we've known from Israel as well.
"I suppose the Israelis have led the world on this and they dropped the mask, as it were, when they reached the vaccination of their population of 80%... when people had received both doses.
"And the UK data seems to be supporting the same story: that once you reach a particular threshold within the population of vaccinated individuals, then it's safe to kind of drop the mask."
But Prof Fannning said such events require more meticulous planning.
"These concerts are not without extra organisation requirements - we will require people to show that they've had a vaccination, perhaps, and also maybe some of them have had antigen tests as well, and that they're not in close contact with somebody waiting for a test result.
"But yes, it's very encouraging.
"I think there'll be some trial events around the country, we'll tentatively go where we haven't gone before with respect to these events.
"I think June and July will be the time to try these out with events of 100 - get used to the logistics - up to 1,000 and then up to a bit more".
