WITH A plethora of events happening around the State this weekend, meteorologist Evelyn Cusack yesterday had good, albeit undesirable, advice for those venturing out: “Really, anybody heading off for the weekend should bring the old raincoat.”
“There’s a slow pressure area coming in from the Atlantic so lots of heavy showers around with thunderstorms likely . . . The driest area will be the northwest but it will be quite cool there,” Ms Cusack said yesterday, adding that people should consult the rainfall radar on the Met Éireann website for up-to-date local forecasts over the weekend.
Perhaps as a result of the wet summer, hundreds of thousands of Irish residents have booked on aircraft and ferries in the hope that they will reach sunnier climes this weekend.
Dublin airport is expecting about 280,000 passengers through the airport over the course of the weekend.
To facilitate a smooth start to their holiday, the airport has advised passengers to arrive at least 90 minutes before their flight departure time, irrespective of whether they are checking in online or at the airport, and to check in advance which of its two terminals they are flying from.
A spokesman for Irish Ferries said business was “brisk” for the weekend while Stena Line were anticipating “one of our busiest weekends of the year”, according to a spokeswoman.
Those remaining in Ireland who intend to travel on the roads were reminded by Assistant Garda Commissioner Gerard Phillips to exercise extra care over the course of the August bank holiday weekend.
“Large numbers of drivers will be travelling to sometimes unfamiliar places around the country, so we are appealing to all drivers to slow down, take their time, be well rested, wear their seatbelt at all times and never ever drink and drive,” he said.
Motorists were also reminded that this is the first weekend new penalty-point regulations for the use of seatbelts are in force. Since midnight on Thursday, anyone caught not wearing a seatbelt or with an unrestrained child in their vehicle faces a fine of up to €90 and four penalty points.
Meanwhile, the Road Safety Authority has warned drivers intending to undertake long journeys to be fully aware of the dangers of driver fatigue.
Known as the “silent killer”, road fatigue is believed to be a contributory factor in up to 20 per cent of road deaths in Ireland.