Sun fails to shine on Bantry boatmen

IT wasn't Bantry's day yesterday

IT wasn't Bantry's day yesterday. As Tyrone and Meath fans tanned themselves at Croke Park, the boatmen of Whiddy Island shelved their oars and squelched indoors.

"It blew like hell and it rained like hell, so they had to put it off said the organiser of the Whiddy Island gig race, Dr Matt Murphy.

The Met Eireann experts say, the "outbreaks of rain in the west and north west" should give an equal soaking to everyone today. Then we can look forward to "clearer and fresher weather" (the great Met euphemism for colder), with only "scattered showers" by tonight.

More of the wet stuff will spread from the west later in the week, although Wednesday has aspirations to be something like a summer's day.

But one word hangs ominously over next weekend "unsettled". It's the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Charlie.

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Catherine Cleary

Catherine Cleary

Catherine Cleary, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a founder of Pocket Forests