Ireland set to sizzle as sun-lovers enjoy 30C on hottest day of year; parks to offer free sunscreen
Cork to see free suncream in parks
The people of Cork will be able receive free suncream at four parks across the city from Monday.
Visitors to Marina Park, Fitzgerald's Park, Clashduv Park and Meelick Park - which are owned by Cork City Council - will have access to free SPF50 suncream through new dispensers.
Labour Party councillors John Maher and Peter Horgan brought the idea of the scheme to Cork City Council, motivated in part by figures from the Irish Cancer Society which found the cost of suncream has prevented one in 10 people from using it.
The pilot scheme will run until the end of summer in partnership with the HSE.
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Maher said: "Just because we're not in mainland Spain, and you know, the sun isn't always belting down on us, the sun is still dangerous in Ireland, and the UV rays that it gives off. So, this is giving people a bit of protection in our public parks."
The dispensers will contain SPF 50 and will also feature a UV dial and a mirror to help people applying their suncream.
Maeve McTaggart
47 minutes ago
Today 03:05 AM
Hosepipe bans begin in the UK
Hosepipe ban begins in Yorkshire as summer's third heatwave grips country
A hosepipe ban is coming into force in Yorkshire as the third heatwave of the summer grips the country.
Households in Yorkshire are the first to be hit with the ban after months of extremely hot and dry weather across England, with more high temperatures forecast over the weekend.
Temperatures could reach 32C in parts of central and southern England on Friday and are expected to remain high into the weekend, with a yellow heat health alert in place for all regions in England until July 15.
The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency, warns of the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over, or with health conditions, because of the heat.
Ellie Crabbe, PA
Today 03:04 AM
Today 03:03 AM
Today 03:03 AM
Today 02:52 AM
Status Yellow high temperature warning to come into effect from midday
A Status Yellow high temperature warning will come into effect for 14 counties from midday, with Met Éireann warning of temperatures higher than 27C.
There will be plenty of sunshine, clear skies and dry weather throughout the coming days.
Nighttime temperatures are unlikely to fall below 15C.
The forecaster has warned of uncomfortable sleeping conditions and the potential risk of heat stress, water safety issues and forest fires.
It will extend to the entire country from noon on Saturday and will in effect until 6am on Sunday morning.
There will be a break in the "mini heatwave" next week, when more unsettled and cooler weather is expected from Monday.
Scattered showers will return as Met Éireann forecasts a band of rain moving over the country throughout the morning and continuing into Tuesday.
Maeve McTaggart
Today 02:43 AM
Do you put suncream on a cow?
Farmers will also be watching out for their cattle as the mercury climbs this weekend, with Peter Hynes in Aherla, Co Cork, even using sun cream on the udders of his show cows if they need it.
'I think the most important thing at the moment is to ensure they have a good water supply and are in a shaded paddock,' said Mr Hynes.
The show cows are more at risk of sunburn as their fur is clipped. He keeps them indoors during hot spells, but would use sun cream on their udders if they needed to be out in the sun for extended periods of time.
'Over the weekend, we have to be mindful of how sun affects us – it is the same for animals and you don't want them distressed,' he said.
His cattle currently need around four kilos of dairy nuts a day due to a lack of grass on the farm, in comparison to the usual two or three kilos he would be feeding his herd this time of year.
However, there has also been a silver lining to the current conditions, with the farmer's maize reaching new heights.
'Generally, maize in Ireland should be around knee-high by July 4 but our maize crop was actually over seven feet by July 4 and putting up cobs.
'It's extremely unusual for this country to see maize at that height and putting up cobs that early, but it is down to the weather.'
Gash Gardens in Portlaoise, which Ross Doyle runs with his wife Mary, has seen a surge in visitors in the last few days, with 'all hands on deck' this week to keep four acres of grounds watered during the warm weather.
'When we saw the heatwave coming, even though it's fantastic to see the hot weather, it brings a lot of extra work,' said Mr Doyle.
Today 02:42 AM
Today 02:41 AM
Cooling off in Dublin as Temperatures are set to soar close to 30C over weekend as the public are urged to conserve water. Photo: Mark Condren
Today 02:40 AM
Zoos and wildlife parks stock the freezers
The freezers in Fota Wildlife Park in Cork are also fully stocked with ice blocks. Some are filled with fruit and leaves, others with meat and even blood.
Senior ranger Cathriona Ni Scanaill said animal welfare is a priority through all seasons, with the Fota team thinking 'outside the box' to keep every animal from the meerkats to the big cats cool and entertained.
There are shady areas and access to water in every habitat, which are adapted to the needs of each animal.
Rhinos use mud wallows to cool down, as they would in the wild, and the ostriches give themselves dust baths, while semi-aquatic animals like capybaras and tapirs have access to ponds.
'With the rhinos, sometimes we give them a hose shower, which they really enjoy. For a lot of the primates and even the big cats, we prep ice blocks – sometimes with fruit in them so they have to work to get the fruit out,' said Ms Ni Scanaill.
'We pop in little treats, maybe grapes. For the big cats like the tigers, lions, we put in chunks of meat, or we could use blood [in the blocks] as well to help cool them down. For the giraffes, we might pop an ice box up with leaves in it.'
The freezers are prepped with ice blocks and frozen peas, which are scatter-fed to the primates in their care.
Ms Ni Scanaill said the rangers are well prepared and all the animals seem to be enjoying the sunny spells, though she urged all visitors to bring their sun cream if they are planning a trip.
'All the animals seem happy and contended with us. It's really nice here, the sky is absolutely blue and the trees are green, but you also get the lovely breeze coming in from Cork Harbour so that really helps to cool the place down.'
Today 02:39 AM
Surge in sales of hot tubs, barbecues and garden furniture
Hardware suppliers have reported a surge in sales of hot tubs, barbecues and garden furniture in anticipation of the hot weather.
Supermarkets including SuperValu, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Marks & Spencer said they had already sold out of hot-dog rolls, burger buns and charcoal in anticipation of a weekend of outdoor eating.
SuperValu expects iced coffee sales to increase by 200pc, while sun cream sales are up 400pc and sales of bags of ice have doubled in their stores.
Woodies, B&Q, 4Home and Home Value reported a surge in sales of barbecues, garden chairs and parasols as families unable to head to the beach prepared to make the most of the fine weather in their back gardens.
Oisín Kelly at Woodies in Airside Retail Park, Swords, said parasols, gazebos and patio furniture have been a major hit in store, while 'plants and compost have been really popular'.
Caroline Whelan, who runs A Room Outside in Co Limerick, said: 'We have also had a big run on hot tubs at the moment. They have been popular all through this season so far, but they are selling quite well at the moment.'
Ralph Riegel
Today 02:37 AM
Ireland set to sizzle as sun-lovers enjoy 30C on hottest day of year
Mini-heatwave on way as some parts of the country won't dip below 18C overnight
Ireland will experience the hottest day of the year this weekend – as high as 30C.
The mini-heatwave will also make it hard to sleep, with some parts of the country having overnight temperatures stuck around 18C.
Met Éireann has forecast 29C for tomorrow, and huge crowds are expected to head to coastal areas to make the most of the sunshine.
Forecaster Aoife Kealy said Ireland's hottest temperature of the year to date – 29.5C at Mount Dillon in Co Roscommon on June 20 – could be topped over the next 48 hours, with some sheltered inland areas possibly hitting 30C or slightly higher.
The mini-heatwave will not set a new July record – the hottest July day ever recorded was in Dublin's Phoenix Park on July 18, 2022, when the temperature reached 33C.
Over a million people will head to coastal and lake resorts, and gardaí and local authorities warned people to allow time for their journeys and to expect possible congestion.
Parking is expected to be at a premium at popular locations throughout the weekend.
Lifeguards said they were gearing up for one of their busiest weekends of the year.
Aaron Duffy, who works alongside his sister, Alicia, on Claremont Beach in Howth, Co Dublin, issued a warning to sun lovers.
'Always ensure that you swim between our flags, our red and yellow flags. That's our patrol zone, and that's where we'll be able to keep an eye on you,' he told the Irish Independent.
'Swimming in a big group is always good because you'll have a lot of people to look out for you. And if, God forbid, you get into trouble in the sea, what I would advise would be to remain calm. Try to keep your head above water with basic strokes.'
Water Safety Ireland also urged those heading for the beach to 'make safety a top priority' this weekend.
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