Hot weather forecast to last until Sunday

THE GOOD news is that temperatures will reach 25 degrees in the midlands today as the bank holiday weekend gets under way.

The bad news is that it will not last and more normal service will resume on Sunday.

The weather has dramatically improved since the official start of summer on Wednesday, and after a disappointing May which was wetter, cooler and more windy than normal.

Temperatures reached a high yesterday in Ballyhaise, Co Cavan, of 22 degrees, but Met Éireann forecaster Vincent O’Shea said today would be the best of the weekend weather.

Tomorrow will be notably cooler, but, with temperatures of between 17 and 19 degrees, it will still be slightly warmer than normal. Sunday will see temperatures dropping back to a cool 12-15 degrees, and Monday will be cooler still and cloudier with a chance of showers on the east coast.

However, little rain is forecast for the foreseeable future and Dublin City Council has advised householders and businesses to conserve water.

The dry and sunny weather does augur well though for those attending the myriad of national events around the bank holiday weekend.

Along with Bloom in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, Cork’s Maritime Festival starts today for 10 days.

There is also a plethora of music and literary festivals ranging from Listowel Writers’ Week to the Flat Lake Literary and Arts Festival, which features the world-renowned dramatist Sam Shephard.

Also taking place this weekend is the Lismore Music Festival, the Castlebar Blues Festival, the Doonbeg International Jazz Festival in Co Clare, the Cuban-inspired Little Havana Festival in Galway city, and the 10th annual Rory Gallagher Festival in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal.