What was supposed to be the summer of a lifetime has instead turned hot and unbearably sticky, as Irish students in New York are battling with soaring temperatures and are not enjoying their time away from home.

In an effort of keep cool during scorching temperatures, Irish students in New York for the three months of the summer are doing everything in their power to stay cool.

Eoin O’Connor from Co. Carlow works as a doorman in the city, and although he “is lucky” to be indoors he is required to wear pants, a shirt and work shoes which makes getting to and from work “very uncomfortable.”

O’Connor, 21, came to New York to enjoy the city but to date has not really done much sight seeing due to scorching summer temperatures.

“I try to go for a walk in New York early in the morning when the temperatures are cool, and then in the evening to cool off I’ll go to a bar to watch the World Cup, but I haven’t really done much sightseeing because of the heat,” O’Connor told the Irish Voice on Tuesday.

O’Connor said the worst part of the high temperatures that have reached 100-plus in Manhattan, is the “lack of fresh air.”

“It’s so humid and I hate getting sunburned, so I try to stay out of it as much as possible,” he said.

Like O’Connor, Sophie Corbett from Co. Roscommon came to New York to enjoy “all it has to offer.”

To date she spends her free time indoors getting away from the sun.
“I’m fair skinned and get burned super easily, so when I’m not working I stay inside my basement with the fans to keep cool,” said Corbett, sounding disappointed.

“I’ve been to Spain and Portugal where the weather has been extremely hot, but I’ve always managed because I think there was always a breeze, but in New York it’s constant humidity with temperatures way up in the 90s,” said Corbett, grumbling that Tuesday temperatures were in the 100s.

Corbett, who works as a nanny for an Italian family in the city, spends her days off watching movies and reading books.

“Little did I think I would be coming to New York to stay indoors,” she said.

“I don’t go out – unless I have to – before 9 p.m., then I allow myself to go for a few cold ones,” she laughs.

As for minding the children in a heat wave, Corbett describes it as “a nightmare.”

“The kids’ parents want me to take them to the park as much as I can, and of course I have to so I smother myself in factor 50 sun cream and I still get brunt,” she adds.  “It’s just horrible.”

Corbett said she even considered moving back to Ireland.

“If it wasn’t for the lack of jobs there for the summer I’d be back on a plane before you could say boo,” she added, citing the great spell of weather Ireland has been having lately.

Irish Voice intern Daniel O’Carroll is also suffering in the high temperatures.

O’Carroll, who hails from Co. Cork, is staying in a dorm room at New York University (NYU) without any air-conditioning.

“All we have is a fan and now they want us to get rid of that,” said O’Carroll, shocked.

“I’ve lost seven kilograms in body weight in the past three days, I’ve never seen sweat like it and they want us to get rid of the one bit of relief we have.”

On Tuesday morning O’Carroll received an email from NYU stating that air conditioners are prohibited.

“This is a reminder that portable A/C units are not allowed at Rubin (the dorm building). Our electrical system cannot handle the power levels these units require. Please be aware that having one is an actual policy violation,” said the email.

O’Connell shares a small dorm room with three other students and is at his wit’s end.

“This is actually horrendous. I can’t sleep at night and when I do I wake up every half hour in buckets of sweat. It’s so awful,” he said.

“These are the most deprived conditions I’ve ever had in my life,” he added.

O’Connell who enjoys coming into work for the air conditioner alone, is not impressed so far with the New York weather.

“I knew it was going to be hot but this is just ridiculous. I hate having to go outside, and when I don’t have to I’m not which again is a pity because I really wanted to enjoy my time here in New York,” he added.

The New York heat wave is expected to continue late into the week and no doubt there will be many more high level temperatures to contend with as the summer progresses.

 “I’m never coming back to New York in the summer,” adds Corbett.