Snow in Dundalk, at last

At last the snow came to Dundalk. Just when it seemed the whole country was going to be covered in white with the exception of our fine town, along came the snow in sufficient enough amounts to allow the kids have a ball, if you pardon the pun.

It's been the coldest winter since 1991, according to the experts, and the unusually long cold spell has seen some parts of the country blanketed with snow numerous times. But not poor old Dundalk. No. Whether it's the shadow of the mountains or some other mystic force (you'd think being a Celtic god I might know what's behind it, wouldn't you?), the snow usually misses Dundalk, even if the rest of Ireland is at a complete standstill in blizzard conditions.

Well, not to fear. We got our sprinkling, and enough to allow the making of snowmen and the throwing of snowballs. Even the boul Cúchulainn was out making ice balls to knock about the place with his hurley stick. For once, Ice House Hill park had the conditions befitting its name.

Now that the thaw is well and truly on, I can promise you it will snow again. But when is the question. It might not come along for another five years judging by recent years . . .