We don't always get a lot of sun in Ireland. We wait for months for the good weather to show up, and when it does, we really know how to make the best of it. Here are the 7 signs of an Irish summer so you can recognise it when it finally arrives.
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1.The summer holiday planning begins
As the summer months approach, you can finally stop day dreaming about summer holidays and start making plans. Whether you're heading back to a favourite destination or exploring somewhere new, you'll be counting down the days until it's time to head off.
2. Cafes set up the outdoor seating
As the days get longer and the weather gets a bit warmer, people are able to sit outside again and cafes and restaurants are happy to oblige with extra seats set up on the street. The streets of Dublin can feel just like Spain or France when you're strolling by giant parasols and people sharing a Coke in the sun.
3. The walk to work becomes a sea of sunglasses
As soon as the sun comes out in Ireland, the sunglasses come out too. We don't get a lot of opportunities to wear them, so we have to take every chance we can get. Once the sun and summer finally arrive, all we need is the weekend so we can get out and taste that summer feeling!
4. The local shops sell out of instant barbecues
Once the sun comes out and the weekend arrives, there's nothing Irish people love more than a good barbecue. For those of us that don't own a barbecue, this means a trip to the local shop to pick up an instant barbecue and hoping they haven't sold out before you get your hands on one. Once you have the barbecue in your possession, it's not long before you're enjoying burgers, steaks and some refreshing Coke with friends.
5. Summer music everywhere
Every new song that comes out is discussed as a possible song of the summer, old favourites like Nelly's Hot in Herre are back on the radio, people start making summer playlists on Spotify and the planning for Longitude begins. The good weather isn't complete with the perfect soundtrack, so getting the music right is a big deal.
6. Beach and ice cream photos on Instagram
If something isn't Instagrammed, did it really happen? A beautiful summer weekend brings with it a slew of summer Instagram photos. Ice-creams, parks and pictures of Ireland's beaches looking their best. More people than ever choose their holiday destination based on Instagram photos, and Coke have 84 Instagramable destinations to choose from for their lucky competitions winners. You can be the one giving others Instagram envy.
7. The Sunburn
The price we have to pay for a weekend in the sun. It's hard to remember to reapply your sunblock every four hours when you're too busy having fun.
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