20 Irish summer traditions: From ‘salad' for dinner to line-drying fever and the neck-burn epidemic, the things that make our summer months unique
Irish summers are the funniest in the world. One minute, you're complaining about the rain and wishing you lived in a warmer climate. The next, the folks at Met Éireann have issued a high-temperature warning, the beaches are crammed, and your best friend is texting you from the local beer garden. These things come and go, and there is no such thing as a typical Irish summer. We are all, however, bound by unusual traits and peculiar habits around this time of the year. Behold, the 20 unavoidable traditions of a patchy Irish summer…
Growing up in our house, if the sun came out, then so did the Irish summer salad. Lettuce, tomato, a slice of beetroot, a dollop of coleslaw – you know the drill. There are rules about cooking in July, apparently. Too hot? The kitchen is closed for business. No work tomorrow? We'll have a barbecue, so. Just remember to get the shopping in early or the neighbours will beat you to it. Sunshine and chaos go hand in hand in this country.
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Irish Independent
6 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Met Éireann issues Status Orange rain and thunderstorm warning with risk of flooding
The alert, covering counties Dublin, Louth and Meath will come into force at midnight on Monday and last until 2pm. Impacts include 'very difficult' travelling conditions, lightning damage and 'very poor' visibility. A Status Yellow rain warning is also in place for Kildare, Wicklow and Monaghan from midnight on Monday until 2pm. The national forecaster said potential impacts include localised flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions. Meanwhile, the UK Met Office has issued a Status Yellow rain warning for Antrim, Armagh and Down between 6pm tonight and 6pm on Monday. A Status Orange rain warning has also been issued for Antrim, Armagh and Down from 11pm tonight until 8am on Monday. There will be scattered heavy showers and longer spells of rain, especially across parts of the midlands and mid-west this evening. However, temperatures of 17 to 22 degrees are expected before another rather damp night tonight, with rain heaviest across the east of the country as temperatures hit lows of 13 to 15 degrees. The new week will start with further showers, heaviest over parts of Leinster and east Ulster with spot flooding possible before conditions brighten in parts of the west and south tomorrow evening. Highest temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees are expected, before another mild and rather wet day on Tuesday when temperatures hit highs of 16 to 19 degrees despite widespread showers in the afternoon. Met Éireann expects the coming days to feature 'generally mixed conditions' to start the week, forecasting 'showers or longer spells of, at times heavy, rain with spot flooding possible'. There will be fewer showers by midweek. Sunny spells and scattered showers are expected on Wednesday, with rain becoming less heavy than previous days and more isolated by evening as highs of 15 to 19 degrees are forecast. A largely dry day is on the cards for the Thursday, broken by a few light showers as highs hit between 17 to 20 degrees. Met Éireann says an 'Atlantic westerly regime looks set to dominate' for the days that follow. "The best of the drier and brighter weather will be in the east and south with cloudier conditions and a greater chance of rain or showers as well as breezier conditions in the west and north,' they said. "Temperatures look set to remain close to the seasonal norm.'
Sunday World
39 minutes ago
- Sunday World
Status Yellow rain and thunderstorm warnings in place for several counties
A Status Yellow rain warning that was in place for counties Cork and Kerry Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow thunderstorm warning with some heavy showers forecast across the country as a Status Yellow rain warning has also been issued for a dozen counties tomorrow. A Status Yellow rain warning that was in place for counties Cork and Kerry was lifted at 10am on Sunday, but another will come into effect for Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath, Wicklow and Monaghan at midnight. It will remain in effect until noon on Monday, with spells of heavy rain and the chance of isolated thunderstorms potentially leading to localised flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions. Meanwhile, a Status Yellow thunderstorm has been issued for Clare, it is valid from 4.30pm until 6pm. Potential impacts include spot flooding, difficult traveling conditions and lightning damage. The UK Met Office has issued a Status Yellow thunderstorm warning for Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry until 8pm, while a rain warning has been issued for Antrim, Armagh and Down between 6pm tonight and 6pm on Monday. Some brighter spells will break through the rain across the country this afternoon, but there will also be scattered heavy showers and longer spells of rain, especially across parts of the midlands and mid-west. Heavy rain in Dublin. Photo: Collins 7-Day Weather Forecast: 14th - 20th July 2025 However, temperatures of 17 to 22 degrees are expected before another rather damp night tonight, with rain heaviest across the east of the country as temperatures hit lows of 13 to 15 degrees. The new week will start with further showers, heaviest over parts of Leinster and east Ulster with spot flooding possible before conditions brighten in parts of the west and south tomorrow evening. Highest temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees are expected, before another mild and rather wet day on Tuesday when temperatures hit highs of 16 to 19 degrees despite widespread showers in the afternoon. Met Éireann expects the coming days to feature 'generally mixed conditions' to start the week, forecasting 'showers or longer spells of, at times heavy, rain with spot flooding possible'. There will be fewer showers by midweek. Sunny spells and scattered showers are expected on Wednesday, with rain becoming less heavy than previous days and more isolated by evening as highs of 15 to 19 degrees are forecast. A largely dry day is on the cards for the Thursday, broken by a few light showers as highs hit between 17 to 20 degrees. Met Éireann says an 'Atlantic westerly regime looks set to dominate' for the days that follow. "The best of the drier and brighter weather will be in the east and south with cloudier conditions and a greater chance of rain or showers as well as breezier conditions in the west and north,' they said. "Temperatures look set to remain close to the seasonal norm.' Heavy rain in Dublin. Photo: Collins Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 21st
Irish Independent
4 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Status Yellow rain and thunderstorm warnings in place for several counties
Heavy rain in Dublin. Photo: Collins A Status Yellow rain warning that was in place for counties Cork and Kerry was lifted at 10am on Sunday, but another will come into effect for Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath, Wicklow and Monaghan at midnight. It will remain in effect until noon on Monday, with spells of heavy rain and the chance of isolated thunderstorms potentially leading to localised flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions. Meanwhile, a Status Yellow thunderstorm has been issued for Clare, it is valid from 4.30pm until 6pm. Potential impacts include spot flooding, difficult traveling conditions and lightning damage. The UK Met Office has issued a Status Yellow thunderstorm warning for Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry until 8pm, while a rain warning has been issued for Antrim, Armagh and Down between 6pm tonight and 6pm on Monday. Some brighter spells will break through the rain across the country this afternoon, but there will also be scattered heavy showers and longer spells of rain, especially across parts of the midlands and mid-west. Heavy rain in Dublin. Photo: Collins 7-Day Weather Forecast: 14th - 20th July 2025 However, temperatures of 17 to 22 degrees are expected before another rather damp night tonight, with rain heaviest across the east of the country as temperatures hit lows of 13 to 15 degrees. The new week will start with further showers, heaviest over parts of Leinster and east Ulster with spot flooding possible before conditions brighten in parts of the west and south tomorrow evening. Highest temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees are expected, before another mild and rather wet day on Tuesday when temperatures hit highs of 16 to 19 degrees despite widespread showers in the afternoon. Met Éireann expects the coming days to feature 'generally mixed conditions' to start the week, forecasting 'showers or longer spells of, at times heavy, rain with spot flooding possible'. There will be fewer showers by midweek. Sunny spells and scattered showers are expected on Wednesday, with rain becoming less heavy than previous days and more isolated by evening as highs of 15 to 19 degrees are forecast. A largely dry day is on the cards for the Thursday, broken by a few light showers as highs hit between 17 to 20 degrees. Met Éireann says an 'Atlantic westerly regime looks set to dominate' for the days that follow. "The best of the drier and brighter weather will be in the east and south with cloudier conditions and a greater chance of rain or showers as well as breezier conditions in the west and north,' they said. "Temperatures look set to remain close to the seasonal norm.'
