Come to Ireland when the sun is shining!

Spring has arrived and with it, Your Majesty, the Sun, and it is shining as never before. For me, a typical Brazilian girl, this time is such a blessing. Days like that makes me feel at home and much more, makes me feel free, safe and loved by God, the Almighty. He has made all things.

 As many people know, in Brazil the sun shines from January to December and the seasons are not really defined over there, which means, warm days are normal for us. When you move abroad, you can never imagine how much it is going to be missed until you realize how good it was to have sunny times as part of your day as it used to be.

In Ireland, the good news is that the seasons are completely the opposite to Brazil. Here, you can clearly identify each one:

www.carrollsirishgifts.com

It seems like a joke, but it is not a joke, it rains almost every single day and the wind can be very strong! But…if you keep your umbrella “wind proof” and always have it with you, that will never be a big problem, and by the way, in summer, the rain gets warmer.

According to the irish calendar, the seasons in Ireland to this day still follow the ancient Celtic tradition, which is based solely on daylight and the strength of the midday sun. As such, the seasons of the year  in Ireland are as follows:

Winter ("Geimhreadh") - November, December, January (Samhain, Nollaig, Eanáir)

Spring ("Earrach") - February, March, April (Feabhra, Márta, Aibreán)

Summer ("Samhradh") - May, June, July (Bealtaine, Meitheamh, Iúil)

Autumn ("Fómhar" Harvest) - August, September, October (Lúnasa, Meán Fómhair, Deireadh Fómhair)

Source: Wikipedia

So, let´s clear this is up once and for all.

Spring starts in February, but it is in March when we can see it clearly, the flowers blooming and the leaves beginning to appear on the trees, the days become more beautiful and people's moods  seem to change completely, in a good way, of course. The flower market in Grafton Street, grabs my attention for sure, it sells a greater variety of flowers, a diversity in colour and shape, making the street more sophisticated and pleasant.  In spring the day ends a little later. Usually the sun rises at 7am and sets at 7pm. This means…more time to enjoy the daylight. 

The three warmest months of the year are June, July and August. That is my favourite time of the year, especially if you study in the afternoon, because when you leave the class it will still be day and most places will be open for you to enjoy. As we have more daylight, we also get very excited, with more time to walk through the city and go beyond the famous and cheerful pubs. We can also take advantage of the best parks and places around. In summer, days are really long, on the contrary to winter (18 hours of lights and 6 hours of absence of light). Sunsets just after 10pm. 

In case you are from a tropical country, like me from Brazil, and you are planning come to Ireland, the best time to arrive in the green island, is in between spring  and summer, because you can get to know the place during the warmest time, get rid of the old habits and start a new life slowly and also it is a better way to look to the country on the bright side.

For us, Brazilians, the sun is not that important as long as we have it every single day, but in Ireland, it´s not that easy to see the sun shining, and that is why we all have to enjoy each second when it shows up. 

Source: Twisted Doodles

All right, will leave a list of things that I´ve done and others that are still in my “TO DO” list, hope you all enjoy and any further information, just ask and will be pleased in search for all the answers:

1 – Visit the Cliffs of Moher – Co. Clare

2 – Visit North of Ireland – Giant’s Causeway and Rope Bridge County Derry, Titanic Museum, Belfast

2 – Visit Phoenix Park, for a picnic with friends/boyfriend or even to ride a bicycle, walk a dog, go to the Zoo!

3 – Walk by the sea, and touch the water with your toes. Feel the frozen Irish Sea! I suggest Blackrock, Killiney and Bray (on the south side); Howth, Portmarnock, Malahide (north side).

4 – Go for a sun bath at St. Stephens Green , take some bread and feed the birds.

5 – Exercise yourself outside; let the sun light treat your pale skin.

6 - If possible, run a Marathon. There are a few at that time:

-          Samsung Night Run – April, 23^rd          

-          Darkness into Light in aid of Pieta House -9th May

-          VHI Women Marathon – June, 1^st       

^-           World Run - Dun Lunghaire, May, 3^rd

The best advice I can give to you is - STAY OUTDOORS – and enjoy every single moment; an Irish summer, is not a guaranteed thing. But one thing you can always rely on, rain or shine, is a lovely ice cream.