Banner County feeling hot, hot, hot

AFTER some terrible summers and a lot of very poor weather in the first half of 2013, Clare is enjoying a rare heatwave this week.
Just before 5pm on Wednesday, the temperature at the Met Éireann weather station in Shannon was just below 30oC.

On Tuesday, there was a high of 29.4oC at the station, while it reached 28.4oC on Monday and 25oC on Sunday.

The forecast is for temperatures well into the 20s on Thursday and Friday, while things should be a little cooler on Saturday.

After a winter and spring of discontent, things have been looking up for farmers over the last few days.

Clare IFA chairman Andrew Dundas said it is the best summertime conditions for farming for a long time.

“It’s a great spell of weather. It’s a great help to put fodder together. We haven’t had a spell like it in June or July for a good number of years. Last year there was a week at the end of May but when June came and the silage season arrived, it broke. And wasn’t it raining until June 1 this year?

“There’s a lot of hay being saved at the moment. It’s just a case of cutting it and you’re kind of guaranteed it. There hasn’t been a spell for saving hay like it for a long time, with a good clear forecast and sunshine every day.”

Cillian Murphy has a restaurant in Kilkee and said the town has taken off this week.

“It’s busy, what can you say? The place is black. There’s nothing like weather to bring people to the beach. There’s a big crowd, everyone is in good humour. It’s buzzing.”