Here Comes the Sunburn
While we argue about what is causing more climate change, going back and forth over straws and AI, one thing we can all agree on is that the Earth is definitely getting warmer. And with that, you’ve probably noticed the longer sunny days. Prayers to those with East-facing windows, because your alarm clock has now changed to the sun hitting you right in the face at 5:00 in the morning.
While this is annoying for reasons, as many of us have recently experienced, of jolting out of our beds thinking we missed our alarms and it's surely 11:00 in the morning, only to panic-grab our phones to find it is only 6:00 in the morning. For the fair-skinned Irish whose complexion safely glows in the cloudy gleam of the rainy weather, this sun has ironically taken a darker turn.
After all, who is Edward Cullen without Forks' weather?
The Irish naturally frolic on comfortable week-long holidays to the Spanish and Portuguese coasts, with talk of moving there and ‘never wanting to leave’ because the sun they love is nowhere to be found back home. But as the Irish have had their days in the sun, emptying more bottles of suncream than alcohol, they board planes back home a bit redder than before.
So, as the Irish yearn for sunnier weather, should they be more specific with their wishes? When we look at the cost, what's the saying… ‘Be careful what you wish for ’?
When spending your first summer in Ireland, you’re curious about how warm it would get. You rush to ask your Irish friends, in no rush to put the knits away or take out the spaghetti straps, as your typical response is ‘not too warm’ or ‘still rainy ’, so you prepare for a slightly less cold Irish day. But as the month of May passed, talk on the Luas of the weather began, with ‘can you believe how warm it’s gotten’ where Dublin has become the new Dubrovnik. With humidity reaching every crevice of Dublin, a city that has never bothered with AC (let’s move this to the top of the to-do list).
But June has proven Ireland has earned its spot among its fellow Island countries; while other islands have crystal clear Caribbean seas, we have cold, crisp, and cleansing seas. And the perfect complement to our refreshing waters is the unexpected heat wave we’ve been hit with in June. Irish people are now subjected to unwilling sweat that they were only prepared for while on holiday. Now, walking down Grafton has got Dublin feeling like you’re a gladiator walking to the Colosseum in Rome.
So now that the Irish have gotten their wish, why aren’t they out and about?
Well, a sunburn on a holiday is a laugh; a sunburn while on the way to the office is no laughing matter. When workers would rush to grab a post-office pint at McCafferty’s at the Barge, hitting their coworkers with the classic ‘If only it was sunny’ to complement the perfect pint and location.
Instead, we’re seeing terraces empty, cafes using more to-go cups, and pubs filled to the brim indoors. And if we see any Irish outdoors with a pint, it is strictly under the protection of shade, away from any danger. So is this a tragedy rather than a fairy tale? Are Irish people meant for sunny weather or just suffering in nature’s sauna?
There’s a reason why so many internationals travel from far and wide to cosy up in a pub, instead of forcing Dublin to be the new Dubai; why not embrace what Dublin is best at?
Dublin’s charm is in its vibrant green that blankets the entire island, and we wouldn’t trade that for any burnt, dried-out green for even an hour. And who wants a warmed pint of Guinness? Said no one ever. While our streets aren’t exactly fitting ‘euro summer’ or mastering ‘european outdoor seating’, Ciss Madden’s is all we really need.
Besides, I think we’re all tired of the leprechaun stereotypes; let’s limit the red to just the ginger hair. Book your holidays (pack your suncream) and let’s enjoy the sun from the shade of pubs. Find some shaded terraces, and enjoy the 99 ice cream by the many beautiful beaches on the coast of our lovely island.
Written By: Sophia Arceo
Edited By: Malini Jayan
