Does it rain in Ireland?

[Bumpa]

I was sitting here contemplating my walk through Galicia this spring and thinking about all of the discussions about rain there. I was fortunate when last I walked to Santiago to have nary a drop of precipitation. However, if I may be permitted to veer off on a bit of a tangent. Well, my wife says that most of my conversation is tangential, so here goes.

Several years ago, a friend and I walked the Wicklow Way through the mountains south of Dublin. When we got out of the taxi on the outskirts of Dublin, we commenced walking South and it commenced to rain. It continued to rain for the 7 or 8 days it took us to reach the end of the walk. I mean I have gotten out of swimming pools and been less wet. Most days I felt like that diver you have next to the shipwreck at the bottom of your aquarium with the bubbles coming out of his head. When we arrived at the southern terminus of the Way we discovered several things: a) our accommodation for the night was in another town some distance away, b) the lady who was to pick us up couldn't come for an hour or so because she had her finger in the hole in the dam and was preventing her town from being flooded. She couldn't leave until another finger arrived on the next shift, c) both of the town's pubs were closed. Really, I thought there was a law in Ireland to prevent that.

We eventually took shelter in a local shop. I believe to this day there is an owner of a hardware store who regales his friends with the story of a couple of Canadians who looked like drowned rats, left huge puddles wherever they went and muttered "how could both pubs be closed? Eventually our ride arrived and as she pulled up the rain stopped and the sun came out and everywhere people were thankful that those bloody Canadians had stopped walking and they could get on with their lives.

AS we drove out of town, we saw several leprechauns walking around in damp tweed, coughing up dust and saying: " how could BOTH pubs be closed. The scenery was great even if viewed as if looking through a waterfall. You know where you wonder: "is that a cow or a small house over there.?" Perhaps I'll venture back to determine if it was a cow or not. But I'm bringing my own beer. In the meantime, do your worst Galicia...I'm ready.

 

[JabbaPapa]

A strong Galician rain will be worse than that.

Rain in Ireland (and Wales) tends to be gentle, but it can last for days and days and days.

 

[Telboyo]

It only rains once each winter in West Wales,it starts in October and ends in March.

 

[scruffy1]

Don't forget to attend the Seattle Rain Festival - 1 January until 31 December.

 

[Rhun Leeding]

If it helps, on both my visits to Galicia, I never struggled to find a bar, though they aren't quite as homely as a pub.

In terms of the West Wales rain, technically we had two rains this year, as it moved into sleet and snow for a few hours before reverting to rain.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

A message from the PFLDAT - at 4 minutes 40 secs in the video below:

 

[J F Gregory]

Don't forget to attend the Seattle Rain Festival - 1 January until 31 December.

I attend the Seattle Festival regularly an am somewhat disappointed now while I expect rain we have had snow on the ground for several days. Don't get me wrong I like snow too!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I toured Ireland for two weeks by car a few years ago in early September and had very little rain. I'm glad I did not have your experience!

 

[robproct]

Here in Northern Australia we have had over a metre of rain in less than a week. This is a far cry from the Irish drizzle.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

A few years ago on the Milford Track in New Zealand a ranger mentioned a 24 hour period of rain totalling what I calculated and remembered as two feet of rain so he must have said around 60 cm.

We had four days with no rain though when the odds were that we should have had at least two. We still got to see the waterfalls from melting snow (and an avalanche too.)

 

[Bumpa]

I toured Ireland for two weeks by car a few years ago in early September and had very little rain. I'm glad I did not have your experience!

I have been to Ireland on 7 different occasions and never experienced anything like the Wicklow Way trip. Usually it rains softly, stops and then starts again off and on. One trip we had a whole week with no rain and temps. reaching 25 degrees celsius. We were discussing the weather in a shop lineup and a resident turned and said: "it isn"t always like this you know"

 

[AlwynWellington]

saw several leprechauns walking around in damp tweed,

I understand the "Emerald Isle" name for Ireland is because the leprechauns arise early and paint everything in the various green tones - nothing to do with rain.

As @Bumpa , you saw two of the little ones I suggest you repaired to the nearest pub after alighting from the taxi. And they transported, in a way that only they know how, to your end point. And were the pubs closed because they'd made enough money from your sampling of Guiness and Jameson's, over the course of a week or so, to go on holiday themselves?

 

[mark connolly]

Q: Does it rain in Ireland?

A: Is the Pope Catholic?

 

[Marcus-UK]

The 11 Levels of Irish Rain

The rain goes up to 11.

www.dailyedge.ie

Ther is a level higher than 11 and is gnerally called "Are you fekking kidding!"

 

[Camino Chrissy]

The 11 Levels of Irish Rain

The rain goes up to 11.

www.dailyedge.ie

Ther is a level higher than 11 and is gnerally called "Are you fekking kidding!"

I'm from the USA and I just learned a new word...fekking! I think it's kinda cute and suitable for me to use as I never use our "F" word, being the nice lady I am!

 

[Marcus-UK]

To appreciate the Irish art of changing vulgar words into you need to follow Mrs Browns Boys. The article in the following UK High Brow newspaper goes someway to explaining it. Alternatively just look her up on Youtube.

Why the feck is Mrs Brown's Boys so popular?

Critics derided it from the beginning, yet Brendan O'Carroll's creation only seems to become more popular with each year. Alexandra Pollard explores the appeal of one of the UK's most polarising comedies

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thanks...Will do!

 

[Helen O'Shaughnessy]

I was sitting here contemplating my walk through Galicia this spring and thinking about all of the discussions about rain there. I was fortunate when last I walked to Santiago to have nary a drop of precipitation. However, if I may be permitted to veer off on a bit of a tangent. Well, my wife says that most of my conversation is tangential, so here goes.

Several years ago, a friend and I walked the Wicklow Way through the mountains south of Dublin. When we got out of the taxi on the outskirts of Dublin, we commenced walking South and it commenced to rain. It continued to rain for the 7 or 8 days it took us to reach the end of the walk. I mean I have gotten out of swimming pools and been less wet. Most days I felt like that diver you have next to the shipwreck at the bottom of your aquarium with the bubbles coming out of his head. When we arrived at the southern terminus of the Way we discovered several things: a) our accommodation for the night was in another town some distance away, b) the lady who was to pick us up couldn't come for an hour or so because she had her finger in the hole in the dam and was preventing her town from being flooded. She couldn't leave until another finger arrived on the next shift, c) both of the town's pubs were closed. Really, I thought there was a law in Ireland to prevent that.

We eventually took shelter in a local shop. I believe to this day there is an owner of a hardware store who regales his friends with the story of a couple of Canadians who looked like drowned rats, left huge puddles wherever they went and muttered "how could both pubs be closed? Eventually our ride arrived and as she pulled up the rain stopped and the sun came out and everywhere people were thankful that those bloody Canadians had stopped walking and they could get on with their lives.

AS we drove out of town, we saw several leprechauns walking around in damp tweed, coughing up dust and saying: " how could BOTH pubs be closed. The scenery was great even if viewed as if looking through a waterfall. You know where you wonder: "is that a cow or a small house over there.?" Perhaps I'll venture back to determine if it was a cow or not. But I'm bringing my own beer. In the meantime, do your worst Galicia...I'm ready.

Sincerely, you have my sympathy, and a few chuckles as well. I came back from living in NZ to live in Ireland, where I grew up. We were astounded to find out that the rainfall in the area we live in, Co Louth, has a rainfall 1/3 less of what we were used to experiencing in Auckland.
Every Camino I’ve completed, Portugese.....rain every second day. Camino Frances.....Rain on every mountain, and in Galicia. But so what ? Still had a great time. Good luck with your Camino.....and btw....we had a drought in a Ireland last summer..no rain for many, many weeks.

 

[laineylainey]

Someone once said there are 2 seasons in Ireland, Winter and then Summer, a week in May, though dates are uncertain.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

HA!!! Perhaps, next time in Dublin, get your fill of Guinness, as it is made there, and then go for a long walk. And now, now you know, waiting till the end of the day's ewalk is maybe not the time to start looking for an open pub. I can say, from personal experience, that I always found the two pubs in Terryglass, North Tipperary, to be open when I needed them. Actually there is no other business in the town but the pubs.

 

[woofer]

I'm from the USA and I just learned a new word...fekking! I think it's kinda cute and suitable for me to use as I never use our "F" word, being the nice lady I am!

For the sake of accuracy fecking is spelt like I've just done. Use of 2 "k"s is not tolerated !

 

[Camino Chrissy]

For the sake of accuracy fecking is spelt like I've just done. Use of 2 "k"s is not tolerated !

Well, excuse me, but that's how @Markus-UK spelled it! I will make sure I spell it correctly in the future and use the right pronunciation, as well!

 

[Marcus-UK]

For the sake of accuracy fecking is spelt like I've just done. Use of 2 "k"s is not tolerated !

I am dyslexic (really), so spelling and grammar are optional in my case. Spelling auto correction can be useful but my friend Vermin insists his name is spelled Vernon. I also recently learned that Syntax is not the donation paid after confession.

 

[Stivandrer]

Local farmer in western Scotland:
´see them islands oot there´...pointing - ´it means it´s gonne rein´ in a wee while´!
Tourist: what if you cannot see them ?
Farmer:
´Then it´s reinin´ all reddy ....´

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I am dyslexic (really), so spelling and grammar are optional in my case. Spelling auto correction can be useful but my friend Vermin insists his name is spelled Vernon. I also recently learned that Syntax is not the donation paid after confession.

You are a funny man, Mr. Marcus!