Ah, this is beautiful weather, rolling clouds of rain!

The sound of the driving raindrops against my window is something else and it's given the country a good wash. Yay!

There's more rain than air outside today, it's quite spectacular!

The rain is wonderful but a bit dastardly today. It's actually quite cold too. I'm sitting in the car with my rather ugly but very cosy grey rug around my shoulders. Rain from the east too - which is relatively unusual.

I have to say that my love of rain in general is tempered by two things - firstly the harvest isn't in and that's a worry and secondly, I don't want to wade up the avenue again because it's flooded and it wasn't good this morning. The rain has been very, very heavy here all day.

RTE are reporting there will be 150 million euro lost in the harvest this season.

Do you have one of those swanky o2/vodafone card for your laptop Kate?

It's 3G and it's not that swanky but it's great and particularly because of work, it's really worthwhile. A friend who commutes from Kerry to Offaly once a week got one recently and can do loads of work on the train with her.

The rain here is actually whacking against the windscreen. I feel like a guy in a cartoon with some goon throwing buckets of water at me.

Husband is in France for a couple of days and I know he will be very disappointed when he gets back in the morning. I think we've probably done better than many in terms of harvesting - but that's because of some superhuman organisation and harvesting until midnight or later when the weather was good.

It will be interesting to see what the overall impact of Irish weather will be on the price of food (shouldn't affect bread because we don't produce grain of a quality that makes flour), the pint and other goods - and how much of the price rises will be genuine or profiteering.

I was out on the fifth floor balcony earlier today. OMG I was out there for all of 30 seconds and was almost blown away and soaked to the skin.

There was a HUGE temptation to dance outside in the puddles to singing in the rain.

I think this September's rainfall is going to exceed the average by about 50% with all the rain. It's something else, isn't it?

Storm clouds gather

Is this somewhere in Cork johnfás?

It is looking back to Dun Laoghaire from the East Pier this evening around 8.

You've done a wonderful job again, Johnfás - this time of making it look as though there are no major renovation works underway on said pier.

Thankfully the renovation works are really coming on very well now Kate! You can now walk on the upper section for the entire length of the pier except for where the Victorian shelter once stood. The shelter is now roughly half way through being reestablished as is the band stand on the lower deck. You can vaguely make them out in middle of my shot.

All will be back to normal soon hopefully!!

I was there on Tuesday and did that very walk, Johnfás. Dun Laoghaire speaks to me, though I can't really explain why.

I love Dun Laoghaire, I must walk that pier twice a week. Very regimented sort of situation - I go out once a week for lunch with a friend who works there and then myself and the girlfriend tend to make it down on a weekly basis for a stroll.

I don't get there enough. Realistically, if I travel at the right time, it's the closest I can get to the sea - I can do it in just over an hour when traffic is benevolent. I love the shape of the town, the seedy little underbelly, the Gourmet Burger restaurant, the narrow alleys, the DART noises, the cowbell tinkle of something on the boats, the colours of the water either side of the walls, Teddy's, the walk from the West pier all the way to the Martello tower, the pooky snail sculptures along the walk and the tall houses looking out over the sea, and the baths in need of renovation...


*big sigh*

I moved to Dun Laoghaire with my partner about six months ago and I really can't imagine a nicer place to live. It has all the convenience of modern living but it is a beautiful town and has retained a sort of village feel. I spent countless hours walking the pier over the last four months when my head needed a break from the thesis. On a clear night (or a stormy one) standing down beside the lighthouse at the end of the pier is absolutely beautiful.

Dublin-on-sea is indeed a wonderful place to live, from Malahide to Dun Laoghaire.

I'd love it, except the pronunciation of Dún Laoghaire is one of my pet peeves. Along with Portlaoise of course.

I do wish they'd update the spelling to Laoire though.

riadach wrote:

I'd love it, except the pronunciation of Dún Laoghaire is one of my pet peeves.

Sure I just call it Kingstown.

johnfás wrote:

riadach wrote:

I'd love it, except the pronunciation of Dún Laoghaire is one of my pet peeves.

Sure I just call it Kingstown.

*sharpens stabbing knife*

unaligned wrote:

I moved to Dun Laoghaire with my partner about six months ago and I really can't imagine a nicer place to live. It has all the convenience of modern living but it is a beautiful town and has retained a sort of village feel. I spent countless hours walking the pier over the last four months when my head needed a break from the thesis. On a clear night (or a stormy one) standing down beside the lighthouse at the end of the pier is absolutely beautiful.

When I get rich I'll be buying one of those fabulous three story houses with a basement that look out over the sea. I'll snap one up if I get rich soon enough and prices deflate enough in the next couple of years...

I'm glad you're happy there - I know I would be too.

On a related issue, it's a wonderfully sunny day in Cowen Country, though the heat of summer is gone. Hoping to have a big family gathering and barbecue here next Sunday - are we mad to be planning an outdoor event?

The placename thing would drive you cracked. I personally think that the name belongs to the place, so I'd always try to use the local pronunciation:i.e.

Done Leery and

Port leash.

RTE airy fairy would-be correct stuff totally gets up my nose.

But what do you think Riadach?

Just saw the weather forecast for the week ahead. Tuesday and Thursday look bad, especially Tuesday. Monday and Wednesday seem to be free of rain. It's rained here for the last 24 hours solid. But I am only concerned with Thursday and Friday next. Thursday is supposed to be sunny and 24 degrees. Here's hoping it's right.

I hope to be escaping the crappy weather temporarily, heading of to Portugal for 10 days with my girlfriends tomorrow

evercloserunion wrote:

I hope to be escaping the crappy weather temporarily, heading of to Portugal for 10 days with my girlfriends tomorrow

Cheers evercloserunion, have a brilliant trip.


Kate P, I hope the weekend was better for the harvesting and that all is safely gathered in ?