Last year was one of warmest on record in Ireland

Ireland had one of its warmest years in history last year with average temperatures just 0.2 degrees below the record set in 2007.

An average temperature of 10.6 degrees was recorded across the country in 2014. It made 2014 the joint fourth warmest year on record along with 1997 and 1949. The three warmest years were 2007, 2006 and 1945.

Met Éireann climatologist Seamus Walsh said the increases in temperatures are evidence of global warming. "Before the 1990s, we usually had one or two years with a temperature above 10 degrees on average. In the last two decades we usually have one or two years that are below 10 degrees. This is a significant change."

Preliminary data suggests 2014 was the warmest year in European history since 1500. The average European temperature this year is 10.5 degrees, 0.3 degrees higher than the previous record set in 2007.

Dublin had its second warmest year on record, while temperatures across the country were higher than normal at all stations.

The Phoenix Park station recorded an average annual temperature for 2014 of 10.5 degrees equalling its second highest temperature since records began in 1855, a period of 159 years.

A temperature of 10.5 degrees was also recorded in 1868, 1949, 2005 and 2011. The record annual mean temperature of 10.6 degrees was recorded in 2002, 2006 and 2007. Dublin has recorded six of its warmest years on record in the last 12 years.

The average annual temperature at the Phoenix Park station is 9.8 degrees, meaning the average temperature for 2014 was 0.7 degrees above normal.

All parts of the country reported their warmest year since 2007 which was the warmest on record in many places.

The national annual temperature was 10.6 degrees, 0.6 degrees above the long-term average and just 0.2 degrees cooler than 2007.

Annual mean temperatures ranged from 9.2 degrees at Knock Airport (0.7 degrees above normal) to 11.6 degrees at Sherkin Island in Co Cork (0.4 degrees above normal).

The highest annual maximum temperature was recorded at the climate station of Durrow on July 25th with 28.8 degrees, with the lowest temperature of the year recorded at Mullingar on December 29th with a relatively mild (for a record low) of just -6.9 degrees.

The year was wetter than normal everywhere. Most annual rainfall totals were near or above average with the exception of Mace Head near Carna in Co Galway. Annual percentage of average rainfall was up to 131 per cent at Carlow (Oak Park) with 1098.4 mm.

Stations in parts of the midlands, east, southwest and south reported their highest annual totals in five and six years, with Mullingar reporting its wettest year since 2002, with 1197.3 mm (123 per cent above average).

Mace Head reported the lowest annual percentage of rainfall with 88 per cent (1187.5 mm). Above average monthly rainfall was only reported in January and February.

Much of the percentage increase in annual rainfall can be attributed to February where some places got three times the monthly average.

September, by contrast, was one of the driest on recorded with an absolute drought (a period of 15 or more consecutive days with less than 0.2 mm) affectuing parts of the south, southwest and west

The wettest day of the year was August 1st at the rainfall station of Clonaslee, Co. Laois where 95.0 mm fell, its wettest day on record since 1985.

Annual sunshine levels were above normal everywhere except Knock. Valentia Observatory recorded just under 1,500 hours of sunshine. The sunniest day of 2014 was recorded at Belmullet on June 17th with 15.8 hours, its sunniest day since 1995.