Dónal Donohoe

For the second year in a row it has rained for almost the entire month of August, the downpours were monsoon-like in their intensity, causing mud-slides and severe flooding in many areas. But for the past week there have been clear blue skies and sunshine with temperatures in the low twenties, which is not bad for September. The farmers who had been facing the possibility of losing most of their crops due to the inclement weather, are out in force with their combine harvesters, tractors and trailers making use of every hour of sunshine, sometimes working late into the night. On such days the countryside is a hive of activity, with the harvesting of each field adding to the ever changing tapestry of the landscape. Perhaps these wet summers are the first signs of the effect climate change is having on this part of the world, or else it could just be a part of the long-term cycle of weather patterns that have been going on down through the ages. But if next year brings another monsoon season with record amounts of rain falling instead of a summer, then I will have my doubts.