Ireland will not sink into sea, comforts controversial author

Despite almost triple rainfall levels in Dublin in August, Ireland is in no danger of sinking into the sea, an expert claimed today.

However Professor Ulf Erlingsson, who believes the country was once the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, said sea levels may rise in coming decades.

The rain-sodden Irish summer has already resulted in towns being submerged by floods and Dublin Airport recording rainfall levels of 259% above normal.

Florida-based Prof Erlingsson said today: "The sea level could rise a couple of metres. But that's in time perspectives of millennia, not in this century."

The geographer's 2004 book, 'Atlantis from a Geographer's Perspective: Mapping the Fairy Land' caused controversy when it suggested that Ireland was once the mythical underwater kingdom of Atlantis, according to the interpretation of ancient maps.

Met Éireann climate expert Peter Lennon said many long-standing records have been smashed at regional weather stations so far this summer.

"It has been the wettest August at Casement near Dublin since records began in 1964. Birr in Co Offaly has had its wettest August in 11 years, in Valentia it's nine years," he said.

A total of 76.2 mm of rain fell at Dublin Airport during 24 hours on August 9 - a new all-time record.

"There are still 10 days left in the month so a lot could change in that period," Mr Lennon added.

August's weather was even worse than June which set its own records.

Overall, twice the average amount of June rainfall fell in the south and southeast of the country.

Johnstown Castle in Co Wexford recorded 54mm of rainfall on June 21, the wettest since 1958.

Knock Airport also had its wettest June since 1993 with 146mm rainfall.

However Swedish-born Prof Erlingsson said Ireland once experienced such bad weather that it had no summers for several years after the Ice Age.

"Weather-wise, the worst time for Ireland after the Ice Age was some 8,100 years ago when Lake Agassiz, the ice-dammed lake over Canada, burst out through the Hudson Straits and caused Ireland to have several years without a summer."

Prof Erlingsson said Ireland is susceptible to wet weather as it is dependent on Atlantic Ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream for its climate.

"If, or rather when, we head for a new ice age, Ireland will be the first to suffer," he added.