Parts of Ireland endured the dullest January in almost half a century, according to the national Irish weather service Met Eireann.

Outbreaks of sunshine were in shorter supply than usual for this time of the year the Irish Times reports, with sunny spells well below average levels according to weather stations throughout the country.

The capital city of Dublin had a particularly gloomy month, with less than 25 hours of sunshine recorded during the entire month, making it the cites dullest January since 1964.

In the west of Ireland the village of Knock, famous for its holy shrine and its unlikely but immensely scenic international airport, produced its dullest January for 16 years.

Most parts of the country also experienced heavier rainfall than normal for this time of year, with the surprising exception of parts of the north west and the midlands.

Dublin was again among the worst-hit areas rain-wise, with frequent downpours making it the capital’s rainiest January since 1980 and its wettest in five years, based on the amount of rainfall.

Rural weather stations in the midlands and the west also reported it was the wettest January in five years.

It rained 26 out of the 31 days in County Kerry, while Claremorris in County Mayo had to put up with nearly double its average rainfall for January according to the Times.

Temperatures fared a little better throughout the month of January. Most areas along the southern Atlantic coast experienced a milder than normal month, and the majority of areas in the midlands, north and east reported below average temperatures.