Does it always rain in Ireland?

I recently told a friend of mine that I was planning				Guinness, wonderful atmosphere and the music.
yet another visit to the beautiful country. They				Irish traditional music, when played in a jovial
seemed distinctly unimpressed, wondering why I				atmosphere, is one of the delights of any visit.
didn't shun Ireland in favour of somewhere with a				The weather is also responsible for so much of
more pleasant climate.				Ireland's famous rural scenery. The green
There does seem to be a general impression that				mountains of the west coast are astonishing, with
Ireland suffers from an enormous amount of				the Atlantic waves crashing against the beaches
rainfall. While it's certainly true that the country				and the towering Cliffs of Moher.
does get plenty of rain, it's always seemed to me				The wild countryside of the Burren and
that the country deserves to be remembered for				Connemara seems strangely suited to damp,
far more than simply its climate.				misty conditions. There are other places on Earth
Two years ago I took a coaching holiday around				where such conditions might seem dull - in Ireland
the country, travelling a circular route that started				they simply add to the atmosphere.
in the capital city, Dublin. During the two week				As a I said to my doubting friend, there is nothing
tour (in June) there were no less than 12 days of				better than a touring holiday in Ireland. There's a
fantastic sunshine. It just goes to show that it's				sense of excitement from the moment that I
perfectly possible to find great weather in Ireland				hold the holiday brochure in my hand - an
- you just need to get a bit lucky!				excitement that comes from the thought of
In a sense, the rain and wind can also be central				being able to visit an extraordinary place.
to a holiday in Ireland. On occasions when it does				Consider a coaching holiday as a good introduction
start to rain, you'll find that you have the perfect				to the delights of Ireland and the Irish. You won't
excuse to nip into one of the country's many				be disappointed.
excellent pubs.				You may even discover that it doesn't always
Irish pubs are renowned for the hospitality,				rain in Ireland!