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Winters are shorter in Ireland

Forget about the fact that it sometimes rains in Ireland-the Irish are masters of the understatement, and besides which the softness of the precipitation promotes perfect complexions-scientists at Trinity College Dublin have confirmed that the seasons they are changing in a most dramatic fashion in that "little piece of Heaven" (see first item in this issue) leading to longer autumns and springs. How about five weeks longer?

Yes, five weeks longer of temperate weather or, put another way, five weeks shorter of winter, and this in an amazingly short period of just thirty years! Over that time period temperatures have shown a remarkable rise, especially in coastal areas.

Dr Alison Donnelly of Trinity's Department of Botany has said "The change is most extreme in Valentia in County Kerry, where the growing season is as much as five weeks longer, but on average it's about three weeks with variations for different species."

The change is particularly evident in spring, she added, as plants bud earlier than ever, and it is also apparent in autumn when trees keep their leaves longer.

"A longer growing season has implications for agriculture and for carbon sequestration, as the longer leaves are on the trees the more carbon dioxide they can absorb."

Matthew Jebb, who is in charge of the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, notes that this year a longer autumn is responsible for strawberry plants being still in bloom this November, and more bumble bees and wasps are around than usual because there are plenty of flowers to give then sustinence.

Bird watchers have also noted the change to milder temperatures with the arrival of southern birds such as the Little Egret and Mediterranean Gull.

Shaken by Florida's recurring hurricanes, Canada's snowbirds (people who winter in that U.S. state) might do well to consider Ireland as an alternative destination in coming seasons.

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