Huge crowds in Donegal Town for the Summer Festival last night
IT TOOK a while to get here – but the hot summer sunshine has been pulling in the tourists to County Donegal.
Hotels across the county have reported an increase in bookings as visitors pour into the county.
All of the extra visitors are from throughout Ireland, mostly from the North.
The BBC is reporting today that a second High Pressure system will settle over Ireland later this week, to prolong the heatwave into next week – and maybe beyond.
Paul Diver at the Sandhouse Hotel in Rossnowlagh said the warm weather was good for bookings.
And it was the same at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny.
Said Paul: “This hot weather is drawing visitors from all over Ireland; people who were going to stay at home this year and who now have a chance to enjoy the country in the warm sunshine.
“We’ve been inundated with calls from people wanting to book breaks.”
Carolynne Harrison at the Mount Errigal told us: “We are a great base for exploring all the delights Donegal has to offer and we’ve had a load of bookings since Friday.
“One family said they had been hoping to come to Donegal this year and once they saw the forecast they booked in for the week.
“They want to go to Malin Head and they also want to see Glenveagh and Portsalon beach.”
The Donegal Town Summer Festival was absolutely packed last night as thousands of people descended on The Diamond to see Grainne Gavigan and star performer Nathan Carter.
Visitors and locals alike have a mouth-watering week of events to look forward to.
The Earagail Arts Festival is in full swing – with Altan and Clannad’s gig at Carrickfin this Saturday. The Henry Girls and Fidil are also playing.
And the Buncrana Music Festival kicks off this Thursday with a series of top concerts. Bagatelle play this Friday.
The BBC Weather Centre believes a second high pressure will arrive over these islands at the start of next week, brining more sunny and hot weather.
Here’s what Met Eireann is saying about the week ahead:
Warm again today with sunny spells developing in most places, as mist clears and low cloud breaks up through the morning.
Top inland temperatures of 23 to 27 C., in sunshine. But local sea breezes and any lingering patches of sea mist and low cloud, will keep values in the high teens in some coastal areas.
Outlook
Headline : Very warm, settled weather looks set to continue for the rest of the week and also in many places over next weekend, but there is a risk of dull, misty conditions at times near coasts, with sea fog.
Tuesday night : Dry, with clear spells, but mist and fog patches will develop. Very mild and humid. Min. 13 to 16 Celsius.
Wednesday : Low cloud and mist will clear during the morning with warm sunshine developing especially in the midlands and west, with afternoon temperatures in the mid to high 20s inland, but values could fall back to the low 20s in parts of the north and northeast, where cloud could persist, A bit cooler also with patches of sea fog on some coasts also.
Thursday to Sunday (inclusive) : The warm, dry, humid spell will continue for the rest of the week with afternoon temperatures in the mid and at times high twenties inland, cooler around the coasts due to sea breezes. Sunshine will vary from place to place and from day to day, with low cloud and fog lingering through the mornings in places. The high temperatures could spark off the odd shower some afternoons. Some pockets of sea fog will affect some coasts at times keeping it cooler there.
Winds light variable or east to northeasterly on Thursday and Friday. Some indications of it becoming cooler over next weekend in parts of the west and north, as winds become more westerly by Sunday and could bring cloudier conditions, but temperatures still in the high teens in the west and north and in the low twenties elsewhere.
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