Irish people need to stop complaining about the weather and realise the country is the dream destination for a ‘cool vacation’, according to a journalist. 

Irish people are known for complaining about all forms of weather in this country – but Patsy McGarry wants you to think differently. 

The Irish Times columnist told Moncrieff this country actually has some of the best weather when you compare it to other countries. 

“I could never tolerate the heat and that was brought home to me in my first summer in the [United] States as a student,” he said. 

“Summer in July and August [in New York] is shocking – we couldn’t sleep at night with the heat.” 

He said he ended up buying a fan that only made too much noise – a clear sign the humidity and heat of America is not ideal for the human body. 

Mr McGarry also said Rome, in his experience, is completely overrated as a summer destination. 

“The time to be in Rome is spring or autumn but avoid it in the summertime because you have that lethal combination of heat and humidity,” he said. 

Rome sunrise city skyline at Rome Forum. Image: Noppasin Wongchum / Alamy Stock Photo

He noted that Rome natives themselves typically leave the city during the summer months for cooler destinations. 

“I think it was Norway recently advertising cool vacations,” he said. 

“The northern temperature countries like ourselves, Scotland, to an extent the north of England, Iceland – they're really in the market for that sort of thing. 

“There's no point going to Southern Europe if you’re going to spend all day in an air-conditioned hotel room.” 

Irish weather

Mr McGarry said Irish people should be more grateful for our cool climate that never goes into the extremes. 

“My friend had two Italians staying with her over the summer and they revelled in the wet, damp Irish weather,” he said. 

“We grumble and we grouse... we talk about the weather nonstop, even the weather apps can’t keep up with our weather. 

“But that’s Irish weather.” 

MHC7D0 The Wellington Monument located in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland

Irish weather isn’t perfect – Mr McGarry said many of his friends were unable to play golf this summer due to wet weather – but we have it better than people think, the columnist said. 

“If it’s cold, you can warm yourselves,” he said. “But if it’s too hot there’s nothing you can do except look for an air conditioner.” 

Irish temperatures in the summer typically range from the high teens to the low 20s, although in more recent years there have been brief spells of high 20s. 

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