The show goes on despite rain on the parade

The south of the country braced for more heavy rain and possible flooding last night, but the public proved that teeming rain can be overcome — especially if you bring your wellies.

Organisers of the annual Cork Summer Show paid tribute to the thousands who braved heavy rains to attend the second day of the event, which was cancelled last year due to inclement weather.

Met Éireann issued a weather warning for Cork, Kerry, and Waterford, forecasting between 25mm and 40mm of rain in the 24 hours to Monday morning.

That rain was certainly evidence across the south yesterday, amid warnings that as much as 50mm or more of rain could fall in coastal areas of Co Cork.

The downpours did not dampen the mood at the Cork Summer Show, however, as crowds remained buoyant at an event celebrating its 172nd year.

Held for the first time in Curraheen on the south of Cork City, large crowdsattended on Saturday.

The non-stop rain hit turnout yesterday, said spokeswoman Eimear O’Brien, but Eddie Barrett, chairman of the Munster Agricultural Society, paid tribute to those who attended in large numbers.

“There was an exceptional amount of goodwill towards the society and an exceptional amount of goodwill towards the show,” said Mr Barrett.

“We could understand people not coming but we still had lengthy queues seeking to come to the show,” he said, adding that he was “overwhelmed” by the generosity of those who attended.

The only event that was cancelled was a pet dog show, but everything else, from the cattle show to Ireland’s strong man competition, went ahead as planned. Last year, the entire event had to be cancelled due to bad weather, but yesterday wellies were de rigeur — even the Best Dressed winner, Kildare woman Eibhilin Mhic Shearraigh, incorporated a pair of Hunter wellingtons into her outfit.

Elsewhere, the rain simply caused hardship, with patches of flooding on the Well Rd in Cork City and poor driving conditions on the N25 Cork/Waterford Rd near Carrigtwohill.

The heavy rainfall is expected to ease from this morning, with the weather improving during the week, albeit it with some showers.