Ireland’s summer is finally expected to kick into gear this weekend, with temperatures forecast by Met Éireann to reach highs of 21 to 28 degrees between Thursday and Sunday.
Uisce Éireann has also announced that national water supplies are in drought status, with warnings in place for three areas of the country.
“Irish people get really excited when the weather gets good, but this means we are prone to overdo it,” says Dr Suzanne Kelly, deputy medical director of the Irish College of General Practitioners.
Rather than leave the hosepipe running all weekend, follow these recommendations to take care of your pets, children and garden through the mini heatwave.
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For pet owners: Walk your dog in the morning
Peter Bishton, deputy chief executive of Veterinary Ireland, says pet owners should ensure their animals have enough fresh water, adequate ventilation and cool shade at all times.
Exercising your pet under the hot sun or leaving them in a hot car could be very uncomfortable for them and even fatal. Dogs that are short nosed, naturally very active, have a thick coat and are older or younger are particularly at risk of overheating. Animal welfare experts recommend walking your dog in the early morning or evenings, when temperatures are cooler, and to watch out for signs of heatstroke.
Dogs and cats can get sunburned too. Pet sunblock – not human creams which can contain some chemicals toxic to animals – might be a good idea for white-haired pets that enjoy sunbathing.
When cooling off in rivers, lakes and ponds, dogs are at risk of algae poisoning and secondary drowning from taking in water through the mouth. Bishton says that while it is rare “the risk of drowning increases during the summer months, through a higher rate of exhaustion, or from cooling down too rapidly”.
For the garden: Water plants twice a day – if allowed
Luckily, the sunny spell this weekend is unlikely to harm most Irish household plants, says James Fennell, owner and manager of the kitchen gardens of Burtown House in Co Kildare.
But to keep plants hydrated, Fennell advises gardeners to water plants twice a day in the morning and evening, and never in the middle of the day.
However, gardeners should avoid using hosepipes over the weekend and stick to watering cans instead, says Uisce Éireann, as the water network is experiencing increased pressure on supplies. Residents in Mullingar, Milford, and Kells-Oldcastle are asked to pay special attention to water-conservation.
For those with larger gardens with glasshouses or polytunnels, “open them in the morning and leave them open all night because they become super hot,” Fennell says.
He and his team will be harvesting their produce more regularly as the warm weather encourages fast-paced growing. And now is the time to do large-scale weeding: “The warm weather is a great time to hoe small weeds because they will die very quickly in the sunshine, meaning you can do it very quickly.”
Fennell says his team will start planting root vegetables also: “The soil will be so warm after the weekend that we will be germinating seeds straight into the soil – planting beetroots, carrots and root vegetables, but we’ll need to keep a sprinkler on it constantly to make sure they get enough water.”
If your plants do look particularly weary or dehydrated, place shallow trays filled with fresh water beneath the containers, group pots together for shelter and to slow down water loss. There is no need to water lawns that have turned brown in the sunshine as they will rebound quickly when more rain comes.
For the family: Keep sipping water, but don’t skimp on sunscreen
Sunburn is the number-one risk facing Irish people this weekend, Dr Kelly says.
“We see Irish adults sunburned after good weather all the time. When there’s a breeze, we won’t be aware of the damage being done to our skin.
“Good suncreams are available at a reasonable price in most supermarkets – but we don’t use enough of it or apply it frequently enough.”
Dr Kelly advises for young children in particular to have a good layer of suncream in the morning before they go outside, wear full-body swim suits and have hats to cover ears and neck.
Overheating is likely in young children and elderly who don’t have good thermal regulation. Dr Kelly says they see more heart attacks in hot weather. Older people with risk factors and a medical history need to stay indoors during the hottest part of the day, keep hydrated and cover up.
Those who head to the beach or parks and drink alcohol at the weekend also need to be careful as it doubles your risk of dehydration and sunburn from forgetting to reapply cream and falling asleep in the sun.
To get the recommended 1.8 to two litres of water per day, Dr Kelly recommends having a large reusable bottle of water on you at all times and to keep sipping away at it.
While pollen can spike when the sun is not shining, those with hay fever might experience more symptoms due to farmers cutting silage. Dr Kelly recommends over-the counter antihistamines or steroids for those more severely affected.
For the farm: Schedule rest times to avoid fatigue
Farmers face particular challenges during prolonged periods of hot weather, with crops and livestock potentially affected.
However, “on any farm, the person farming is the most important asset”, Niall Madigan, head of communications at the Irish Farmers Association, says.
“The tillage harvest is under way and the motivation is to get through as much work as possible when the weather is so good. Our advice would be to schedule rest times and avoid fatigue setting in.
“The risks associated with working on a farm can increase if those on the farm are suffering from fatigue. We would ask farmers to keep farm safety to the forefront during their working day.
“Higher temperatures reinforce the importance of being sun smart. By the nature of their work, farmers are more exposed than most workers. Have a supply of sunblock with you and keep yourself covered.”
