Last year was one of the driest on record, particularly in the west and midlands, with Birr in Co Offaly recording its lowest annual rainfall total since records began there in 1874.
In an end-of-year report, Met Éireann said that the number of wet days during the year - defined as those with 1mm or more rainfall - was below normal at all its meteorological stations.
However, there were some "exceptionally heavy falls" on individual days, including a three-hour fall of more than 80 mm at Pollathomas, Co Mayo, last September, which resulted in devastating floods and landslides.
Another notable event was the more than 60 mm of rain which fell on Dublin between October 21st and 23rd during almost continuous hail and thunderstorms.
Despite the latter, however, the east saw the smallest number of wet days, at just 110 compared to 190 in the south-west.
In other findings suggestive of possible global warming effects, Met Éireann said annual mean temperatures were above the 1961-1990 average for the 10th successive year.
Sunshine totals were also above normal in all areas, many of which saw the greatest sunshine exposure in 35 years.
Annual temperatures ranged from 10 degrees to 11.4 degrees at most stations, about one degree higher than normal.
March, April and August were particularly warm relative to average and almost every station recorded its highest temperature during early August when it reached 30 degrees in parts of the west.
The highest overall temperature was 30.3 degrees at Balderrig, Co Mayo, on August 8th, while the highest mean annual temperature was 11.4 degrees at Shannon Airport, its warmest year since 1997.
Kilkenny saw both extremes of weather, recording the highest increase in sunshine (26 per cent above normal) as well as both the lowest air temperature of minus 4.7 degrees during a spell of exceptionally cold weather in late October, and the lowest grass temperature of minus 12.3 degrees in early January.
Rosslare in Co Wexford saw the most amount of sunshine at 1,890 hours, the town's highest measurement since 1959 and 20 per cent above normal. Knock Airport saw the lowest annual total of 1,382 sunshine hours, while Malin Head had the highest daily figure of 16 hours on June 29th.
Of rainfall, the 89.3 mm measured at Inver, Co Mayo, on September 19th was the highest daily total of the year, while a daily fall of 63.7 mm at Valentia observatory in Co Kerry on June 9th was its highest daily amount for June since records began in the area in 1892.
Valentia also recorded the highest annual rainfall total of 1,508 mm, compared to just 595 mm at Birr.
Met Éireann noted that less than 90 per cent of normal rainfall was measured in most places. Just 74 per cent of normal rainfall was recorded at Birr and Claremorris, Co Mayo, and just 79 per cent at Malin Head and Mullingar.
Mean windspeeds for the year of 8-12 knots generally (9-14 m.p.h.) were near normal. The strongest winds of the year at almost all stations were measured during the second half of January. Malin Head, Co Donegal, measured the highest gust of the year at 70 knots (81 m.p.h.) on January 28th.
The dry weather last year contrasts with 2002 which was one of the wettest years on record in certain areas, while also being milder than normal. Average temperatures in 2002 were between 0.5 degrees and 1.1 degrees above normal.
Last year the increase ranged between 0.6 degrees and 1.2 degrees, with Shannon Airport recording the highest jump.
Temperatures were 1.1 degrees higher than the 1961-1990 average in both Rosslare and Belmullet, Co Mayo, 1 degree higher in Clones and 0.9 degrees higher at Malin Head, Clones and Casement Aerodrome, Dublin.
