New figures out today show that over 400,000 foreign visitors came to Ireland last month - a 33% increase year on year.
It comes as Cabinet this week prepares to sign off on further plans for Ireland's programme of events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States signing its Declaration of Independence.
Organised between the Department of Culture and the Department of Foreign Affairs, events for "America 250" will take place from now until the country's independence day on 4 July this year.
A key proposal is the creation of an American Presidents Trail, linking ancestral sites across the island of Ireland connected to US presidents including John F Kennedy, Joe Biden and Ronald Reagan.
Supporters say it could become a major tourism draw, similar to the Wild Atlantic Way.
Wicklow Fine Gael TD Edward Timmons first proposed an American Presidents Trail that would pinpoint key counties and locations linked to the ancestral roots of US presidents.
"Amazingly, 23 of the American presidents of a total of about 46 have Irish ancestry," he told RTÉ's News at One.
"Approximately half of those 23 came from ancestors in Northern Ireland. So it will be a link between the north and the south.
"The idea would be to link up a trail for tourists, especially obviously American tourists, to travel around Ireland and visit the various homesteads and landmarks of where these ancestors came from."
Moneygall native Henry Healey is a distant cousin of the 44th US President Barack Obama, who visited the Offaly town in May 2011.
"Everybody knows where Moneygall is now. When you mention Moneygall, the first thing they always would respond with is Obama," he said.
"Following the visit, the Barack Obama Plaza opened on the outskirts of the village. And that became, I suppose, a focal point upon on the M7 for people to stop in, visit the visitor centre on the 1st floor, and continue their commute on to their final destinations."
Plans for a presidents trail across the 32 counties are being progressed under the America 250 programme, which will see Ireland mark the 250th anniversary of US independence on 4 July.
Leading that programme is Minister for Culture and Communications, Patrick O'Donovan.
He said cooperation with relevant departments in the north and south is already underway.
"I had a very good meeting with the Northern Ireland Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons. He's anxious to collaborate on it, whether it's in Ramelton in Co Donegal, where James Buchanan's father was born, or whether it's north of the border in Larne, where [James] Polk and [Andrew] Jackson and people like that, they came from Co Antrim," he said.
"This is an opportunity for a coming together of both departments as well, and a realisation that we have made, as an island, an enormous contribution to the White House and to the office holders of President of the United States."
Visitors from North America accounted for almost a quarter of total visitors to Ireland last year, according to the CSO.
Led by local authorities, the American Presidents Trail could be up and running for this summer season and potentially provide an additional tourism boost.
Once an idea, now a work in progress. Edward Timmons believes marketing Ireland's roots in the American dream has no limits.
"Given the up and down of our tourism numbers over the last number of years, I think this represents an opportunity to develop tourism, especially with the American market," he said.
"But even perhaps beyond the American market, even our own native Irish market or other parts of the world."
