The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies hosted a special talk by Met Éireann forecaster, Evelyn Cusack, to mark the first day of spring or ‘Imbolc’ on Wednesday, 1^st February, 7pm – 8pm, at DIAS, Burlington Road.

The talk – ‘Ireland’s Weather and Climate: A Journey Through Time’ – took attendees on a journey from the time of Snowball Earth (around 600 million years ago) to the birth of scientific weather forecasting.

Ms. Cusack also explored ‘spring controversy’, which debates whether Saint Brigid’s Day is the start of spring. The ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc is said to mark the seasonal shift from winter to spring. Imbolc is celebrated on 1^st February, the same day on which the feast of Saint Brigid is marked.

Commenting ton (30.01.23), Dr. Eucharia Meehan, CEO and Registrar of DIAS, said: “We’re honored to kick-off this year’s events, and celebrate Imbolc with an iconic speaker like Evelyn Cusack. Marking the shift from winter to spring, Imbolc – or Saint Brigid’s Day as it is also known – is an important festival in the Irish calendar both scientifically and culturally. At DIAS, we have expertise focusing on both on Celtic Studies and Cosmic Physics, amongst others – and a festival like Imbolc is a great opportunity to highlight some synergies in both these fields. This promises to be a fascinating insight into weather forecasting and our climate, and we would encourage people to join us for the talk.”

Evelyn Cusack has over 30 years of experience in forecasting and broadcasting on TV and Radio. She is the current Head of the Forecasting Division in Met Éireann, and is the chair of the EUMETNET Storm Naming Group, a network of 31 European National Meteorological Services based in Brussels, Belgium. She is also the National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) Forecasting Lead for Severe Weather Events.

The lecture is now available to view on our YouTube channel