A spring heatwave as the sun shines all across Ireland

Farmers make hay and thousands flock to beaches in warmest March since 1965

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Swimmers enjoy the high temperatures at Bull Island on Dollymount Strand in Dublin

Photo by Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

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Weather records were smashed as Ireland basked in glorious sunshine on Tuesday – with more on the way.

The Mayo town of Belmullet saw the mercury hit 72 degrees Fahrenheit, the warmest it’s been on March 27th since 1965.

That temperature was just short of the all-time March record of 73 degrees recorded at Trinity College in Dublin, also in 1965.

Nationwide temperatures were in and around 68 degrees Fahrenheit and few were complaining about the early arrival of summer.

Only Dublin, hit by a fog and its proximity to the sea, failed to hit the highs but even there the 64 degree temperatures saw thousands take to the beach and parks.

“It was nearly completely cloudless with just a few wisps,” Met Eireann forecaster Sandra Spillane told the Irish Independent.

“And it’s going to last until at least Wednesday. A ridge of high pressure that swept in from the continent late last week is due to stick around until Thursday evening.

“And even as it eventually weakens as it tracks out to the Atlantic, we can still expect dry weather and double-digit figures for the rest of the week and weekend, although with the occasional drizzly patch.

“Thursday will be a virtual repeat of Wednesday with temperatures roughly the same.

“But it will start to feel a bit cooler with a change of wind direction as the high pressure system moves out to the Atlantic.”

Irish weather conditions are expected to return to more seasonal temperatures by Friday - between 50 and 62 degrees - with occasional drizzly patches according to Spillane.

“The weekend will stay mainly dry with occasional clouds and possible rain,” she added.

One farmer told the Irish Independent he was making hay while the sun shone.
Tommy Moynihan, a 45-year-old Tralee, Co Kerry, has never cut silage this early in the year before.

“I’ve never seen the field as dry as it was today,” he said. “Last year I cut on April 14. This was a record today.”

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