Holidaymakers Dash For Sunnier Climes To Escape Bad Weather

According to the Irish Travel Agents' Association (ITTA), Irish holidaymakers are jumping at the chance for last-minute travel deals as the bad weather continues to pound Ireland.

According to data released by Met Éireann, June was one of the wettest on record, and July looks to continue the trend, with the forecast for the coming week a mix of sunny spells interspersed with thundery downpours and strong winds.

While the rain managed to hold off for the first day of the Oxegen concert in Co. Kildare, car parks there had to be closed because of sodden soil. Gardaí urged all festival goers to use public transport.

ITAA chief executive Simon Nugent said a snap survey of travel agents nationwide taken on Monday showed a 20-30% increase in the number of late bookings received.

"A lot of people are coming into travel agents around the country and just saying we need emergency sun, and can you do anything for us," he said.

According to Mr Nugent, the most popular destinations include Spain, Portugal and Turkey.

Met Éireann also said that Dublin's Phoenix Park was the wettest place in the state last month, with almost seven inches of rain falling.

On Thursday, a disaster was narrowly averted when strong winds capsized boats taking part in a junior regatta in Dun Laoghaire, sparking a major rescue operation after more than 100 teenagers ended up in the water.

Even though revellers were fighting their way through the mud at the Oxegen Festival campsite over the weekend, an event spokesman said the poor weather had failed to deter music fans.

A crowd of at least 50,000 packed Punchestown for the two-day extravaganza which featured high-profile acts such as Snow Patrol, the Scissor Sisters, Daft Punk and Arcade Fire.