Vivid light show over Cork harbour as Northern Lights visible across Ireland

The distinctive green and red hues of the aurora borealis shine bright in the skies over Cobh and Cork Harbour in this shot captured from Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven. Picture: Cian O'Regan.

The Northern Lights gave a celestial display as far south as Cork on Sunday night.

The distinctive green and purple hues lit up the night sky in Cork harbour amid a clear night, while it was also evident along the south coast of Waterford and Kerry.

Northern Lights tonight from the Copper Coast, Co. Waterford. Could see it with the naked eye, what an epic few minutes 🤩 limited foreground options close to home, happy with this though 🙌@wlrfm @damienwlr @CarlowWeather #northernlights #aurora #Auroraborealis @waterfdweather pic.twitter.com/DbBXizDWKu

— Kevin (@kev_tbay) November 5, 2023

On social media platforms, photographs were shared from across the country of clear views of the phenomenon.

@CarlowWeather North Lights seen in Drinagh Co. Cork pic.twitter.com/uB2UhP8Ock

— Denis O Donovan (@drinaghden) November 5, 2023

Aurora Borealis usually only occurs in polar regions such as Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, but has been evident in Ireland on a number of occasions this year.

About last night… #aurora #ireland @CarlowWeather @KildareMet @DonegalWeatherC pic.twitter.com/WTRXAw2kpk

— Bernard Geraghty Landscape Tours (@bg_tours) November 6, 2023

The light show is the result of a huge ejection from the coronal mass of the sun, leading to the creation of the phenomenon known as the Northern Lights.

OMG!! pic.twitter.com/Sc86HiAonT

— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) November 5, 2023