Clouds

In Spring, watch out for clouds touching down over the hills in the morning; if the wind does not scatter them by noon the rain will not clear all day and there will be a rest from farmwork or turf-cutting that day.

Grey clouds like goat's hair in the sky presages rain.

Damp

If a concrete or flagged floor begins to 'sweat' or show moisture on its surface, a change of weather is on the way.

Thunder

Thunder at the beginning of the month is a sign that there will be periods of heavy rain during the month. In Winter, snow follows thunder and lightning. Quick , intermittent flashes of lightning, known as 'openings' or 'fosclaiocha' in Irish are regarded as harbingers of snow.

Forked lightning is regarded by country people as the most dangerous and it is advisable when out on mountain or moorland to lie flat on the ground and never to shelter near a tree, or cross a fence, or handle any iron weapon, like a spade or shovel, as they attract the lightning.

An old advice in Irish is 'Gabh ar fhoscadh do bhata', counselling people to take shelter during an electric storm. Those few Irish words may well have had a different meaning; stick your stick in the ground, stoop down or lie flat just where you happen to be.

Winds

The East Wind in Winter heralds frost and snow, but when it comes in Summer, it is welcomed by all, as good dry weather is on the way.

The North Wind also brings the snow in its wake while the West and South-West winds bring rain and mild conditions. The wind blowing directly from North to South forecasts rain also.

The farmer, no less than the sailor and the fisherman, studied the direction of the wind and set his course accordingly. Not alone was the wind regarded as a guide for the immediate future but was also a seasonal guide. On New Year's Eve if the wind blew from the East it meant snow and harsh conditions for the following quarter. Whichever direction the winds blew from on May Eve or Halloween indicated the direction of the winds for the forthcoming seasons.

The River

The river in all its moods was a very accurate forecaster of weather conditions; the sound of a flood being heard from upstream when the river was low meant a flood in the near future - this was known as 'Tuile Bhréige' or false flood. The colour of the water was also a guideline - black and murky water with froth on the surface was a sign of heavy rain imminent, while, when the sand and pebbles were clearly visible in the river bed meant fine weather on the way.

If spa water begins flowing from a bog-hole a long break in the weather is approaching. Twinges of arthritic pains can be felt in ageing joints, and sometimes in joints not so old, before the onset of heavy rain.

The experienced angler can predict the weather from his success or failure in landing trout or salmon. If, after a flood, the fish do not rise to the bait he knows more rain is on the way.Another interesting sign for both rain and economic prospects for the whole country was, if there was a flood on New year's eve there would be many a flood during the course of the year, the 'peck' would rise in price- the 'peck' was a country term for the Budget , as the 'peck' meant a bag of meal or a bag of potatoes; the hundredweight of meal was about the only commodity that farming folk purchased then, as by their hard work and thrift in days gone by, every household was largely self-sufficient.

The rise or fall of the 'peck' was studied on May Eve by cutting a rowan branch and sticking it in a stream making a mark at the level of the water. If the level of the water was higher than the mark next day the 'peck' would rise accordingly. Gauging the rise or fall of the peck before Budget day nowadays, is unnecessary, as that is already a foregone conclusion!

Fire

When lighting a fire on an open hearth and a blue flame is noticed then you may look out for bad weather. If there is a special venom from the red hot coals in Winter there is a hard frost forthcoming. The reflection of the open fire outside the window is a sign of heavy rain approaching. Soot falling, as well as being a sign of a soot-clogged chimney, is also a sign of heavy rain.

Mist

The mist clearing from the top of the hill in the morning is a good sign for smoke, a good spell of weather is expected.

Smoke from a chimney rising in a straight column to the heavens, predicts good weather, but if it is seen coming down to the ground it bodes no good. In Summer warm and humid conditions with inky, black clouds in the sky presages a thunderstorm.

Trees

Trees or shrubs beginning to sprout at the end of March or early April is a sign of a good summer on the way. Early growth of grass in February or early March is a bad sign for the remainder of the Spring. A heavy crop of holly berries on the holly, or rowan tree , or innumerable haws on the hawthorn predicts a severe winter with hard frost and heavy snowfalls.

Every aspect of Nature reflects changes in the atmosphere which govern climatic conditions. Insects, frogs, bats, bees, butterflies, birds and animals by their appearance, mood or movements indicated the weather that could be expected in the day or weeks ahead.

Frost and Snow

In frost and snow if a crunching sound is heard underfoot the wintry spell is set to last. Signs of approaching thaw are the sound of tumbling waters in the river and also stones beginning to appear through the ice.

Galwolie, Cloghan - Photo © Seamus Sharpe