Parts of Ireland yesterday had their warmest day of the year so far, with many people heading for the beaches and the countryside.
The temperature in Dublin, which reached a maximum of 21 degrees, was the hottest of the year so far and exceeded that of Athens, where it was 18 degrees. In Istanbul, the venue for Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest, it was 17 degrees.
The east coast and midlands basked in sunshine and temperatures of around 20 degrees for most of yesterday afternoon.
Beaches in Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford had their busiest day since last summer.
The Irish Coast Guard also reported very high levels of boating activity along the entire east coast.
However, there was tragedy in Co Tipperary when a young man drowned in a reservoir at Killay, near Templemore.
Weather stations at Kilkenny, Casement Aerodrome in west Dublin and Dublin airport recorded average temperatures of 20 degrees for the afternoon.
But weather in the north and west remained overcast for most of the day, with highest temperatures of 17 degrees.
The temperatures in the midlands and east were three and four degrees above the average expected for early summer in Ireland, according to Met Éireann.
"They are more like temperatures that you would expect for July," according to forecaster Ms Deirdre Lowe. She said they were caused by high pressure which is due to remain over the country for the next few days.
The fine weather will continue for the next few days, although the high temperatures of yesterday are not expected, she says. It will be a little cloudier and fresher today, but most areas can expect some sunshine.