Record sunshine levels in May for parts of Cork and Clare

May 2025 was the sixth warmest on record in 126 years

A spell of high pressure sitting just north of the island lasted for the first three weeks of May before low pressure from the Atlantic broke through.  Picture: Larry Cummins

Some parts of Cork and Clare saw record levels of sunshine in May as the average temperature made it the sixth warmest on record since 1899.

Met Éireann's Climate Statement for last month notes that it was warm, dry and very sunny for the majority of the month.

A spell of high pressure sitting just north of the country lasted for the first three weeks before low pressure from the Atlantic broke through. 

The month’s highest temperature was reported at Newport, Co Mayo on Tuesday, May 13, with a temperature of 24.8C.

Along with Shannon Airport (mean temperature of 14.2C), four other weather stations had their warmest May on record. These were Roches Point, Co Cork (13.3C), Athenry, Co Galway (12.8C), Cork Airport, Co Cork (13.2C) and Knock Airport, Co Mayo (12.5C).

Sherkin Island had its highest daily maximum temperature for May on record with 22.6C on Thursday, May 1. 

Provisionally, the May 2025 average temperature of 12.54C made it the sixth highest for May in 126 years of records.

Rainfall

2025 ranks as the 23rd driest May in records since 1941 and the fourth consecutive year to get less than the long-term average rainfall for the month.

There were 22 consecutive days of no rainfall at Moore Park, Co Cork, 23 consecutive days at Mullingar, Co Westmeath and both Athenry, Co Galway and Markree, Co Sligo had 24 consecutive days.

All four spells ended by May 22.

Twenty weather stations across the country recorded climatological dry spells – periods of 15 or more consecutive days with less than 1.0 mm of rainfall – from end of April into May.

Sunshine

Two stations recorded their highest-ever monthly sunshine totals.

Shannon Airport, Co Clare (288.9 hours) and Cork Airport, Co Cork (290.4 hours) had their sunniest calendar month on record.

Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford (298.8 hours, record length nine years) and Gurteen, Co Tipperary (267.2 hours, record length nine years) had their sunniest May on record.

The highest number of daily sunshine hours recorded this month was 15.2 hours at Valentia Observatory, Co Kerry on Sunday 18th; and on Thursday 22nd at both Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford and Shannon Airport, Co Clare.

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