Forecast is for rain on summer's festivals

The recent spell of warm weather has well and truly given way to a more traditional soggy Irish summer.

Sporadic showers will continue to dampen moods for the remainder of the week, according to Met Eireann.

Rain will be the main feature of the weather until Friday, with frequent and heavy showers falling on most days.

There is also a threat of scattered thunderstorms with a warning they could occur any day this week.

Met Eireann, ominously, is refusing to speculate about the weather for the coming weeks. While museums and libraries have been benefiting from the recent downturn in the weather, the organisers of outdoor events and festivals are fearing a washout.

Looking ahead to the new-look Kerrygold Horse Show, which runs from August 9th to 13th at the RDS, marketing manager Ms Niamh Kelly is refusing to get under the weather. "It's never been a problem, touch wood. I've been here for seven years and we've only had rain twice. If it does rain we just have to do the best we can because the main arena is open," she said.

"In the last couple of years we've had rain in the morning but it has brightened up in the afternoon, much like the weather we're having these days. I'm trying not to tempt fate but we do seem to be blessed with good weather."

In fact, the show's organisers seem to be actively encouraging a wet climate, with hundreds of thousands of gallons of water from the RDS's own well used to irrigate the 40,000 flowers and shrubs which decorate the arena during the festivities.