The Hottest Day
So the heatwave continues. The forecast for Maynooth today has temperatures exceeding 30°C, and higher in the South.
This kind of heat is very unusual for Ireland; the highest temperature ever recorded on the island is 33.3°C, in Kilkenny, way back in 1887. That record may well be broken today…
Actually the temperature readings in 1887 were given to the nearest degree Fahrenheit; the reading on 26th June 1887 was 92°F, which means somewhere between 91.5°F and 92.5°F (which is 33.1–33.6°C), so the central value of 33.3°C is not unreasonable, though the number could have been as low as 33.1°C or as high as 33.6°C. For a discussion see here.
It’s worth also repeating the fact I mentioned a few days ago on the Solstice, that this evening we will have the latest sunset of 2026, at 9:59:38 pm.
Yesterday afternoon we had a Staff Barbecue, which was held in nice – but not quite so hot – weather. It was very well attended and a pleasant occasion all round with plentiful burgers, hotdogs and booze. I must say it was very generous of the President to pay for all that out of her own pocket. (Is This Right? Ed.)
In the Dark 
June 26, 2026 at 10:45 am
But its nothing to do with global warming apparently. Its amazing the number of comments you see in newspapers and websites by people who suddenly become climate science experts. (And sometimes also become nuclear fusion experts). Probably because their ‘research’ involves looking at a few social media posts and Youtube videos…