The heat wave that struck Ireland these last couple of weeks was a welcome respite for a country that been experiencing tough times.

There is no country in the world like Ireland when the sun is high in the sky and the early summer days are lengthening.

It is bright until abut 11 p.m., the beaches are thronged and a feel good factor, long missing, is evident everywhere.

The entire country has been basking in a long overdue heat wave these past two weeks, and sings are that it will extend into a further week or two.

After a mild winter but a very wet spring such weather conditions are welcome indeed.

The old joke about Ireland as retold by a mythical visiting Yank is that it only rained twice during his weeklong visit, once for four days and once for three.

Hopefully the rain will turn to sun for a nice, long Irish summer.