Meteorologists were last night predicting that the Christmas cold snap would last until Wednesday night and that today there would be a mixture of sunshine and snow showers.
Heavy rain, lightning, snow and severe gales combined to make this Christmas memorable for its weather.
For many Irish people it was a white Christmas, with snowfalls over much of the country on Christmas morning. It melted in most areas later in the day but stayed on the ground long enough to give many children their first taste of a white Christmas.
Meteorologists were last night predicting more snow and wintry showers in many parts of the State today. Three to five centimetres of snow were predicted for parts of the north and the west.
In many areas the Christmas Day snow was preceded by driving rain and high winds on Christmas Eve and December 23rd. The highest wind-speed over the Christmas period was recorded at Casement Aerodrome, west of Dublin, where gusts reached 72 knots.
On the afternoon of Christmas Eve, the Marine Rescue helicopter based at Finner Camp in Donegal was called out to help search for a man who fell overboard from a French fishing vessel. The helicopter assisted Clyde Coast Guard in the search for the man, who fell from the Ronsard 50 miles from the Irish coast in British territorial waters. The search was called off at 5 p.m. that evening.
Earlier that day, two men from Galway were luckier when they were rescued from a 15ft vessel by Galway lifeboat.
The rescue team was called out shortly after 4 a.m. on Christmas Eve and the men were rescued half an hour later from the rocks off Galway Bay where they had anchored. They had been unable to get ashore because of high winds.
Heavy rain affected many parts of the country, with rainfall in the west estimated at 350 per cent above average for this time of year.
Farmland and secondary roads throughout the region were badly hit by floods. In east Galway, Ballinasloe and the surrounding villages and townlands of Kilconnell, Caltra and Ahascragh were the most severely affected. Areas around Athenry, including Derrygonnel, were also hit by flooding.
Members of Ballinasloe Fire Brigade and employees of Galway County Council worked through Christmas morning, from around 2 a.m. to sunrise, to divert flooding that threatened houses in Station Road, Ballinasloe.
Limerick Fire Brigade had two crews on duty throughout Christmas night in Athlunkard Street and Sir Harry's Mall area, where up to two dozen houses were affected by flood water. The village of Parteen was cut off from Limerick city by flooding on the Corbally Road and at Longpavement.
Many minor roads were flooded over the holidays. Co Kerry was badly affected, with Farranfore, Killorglin, Cahirciveen and Castlemaine worst hit, according to the Automobile Association. Kerry golfers were also hard hit by the rainfall. The new Lackabane course at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club will be without its 4th hole for at least six months after a landslide at the course over Christmas damaged the fairway. The club director, Mr Sean Moriarty, said the fairway would have to be re-seeded and play rerouted round a shorter course.
The heavy rain also caused the lake to overflow, cutting off the main clubhouse on Christmas Day.
Yesterday most of the State was hit by periodic lightning storms, with areas bordering the Atlantic worst affected.
Met Eireann last night forecast that winds would veer in a more northerly direction and that the cold spell would continue until Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
While temperatures are not predicted to drop below freezing, C, frost and icy stretches are expected on the roads this morning.