A first urban beach for Ireland created in the Dublin docklands has everything but the weather.
Inspired by cities like Paris, Prague and Amsterdam, George's Dock at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) has been transformed into an first urban beach.
The Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) have brought in 240 tonnes of sand from a quarry in Wexford. The city oasis also offers sun loungers, beach volleyball, barbecues, smoothies and salsa dancing.
The one thing the artificial beach cannot promise is fine weather. Rainfall was well above normal for June and the bad news is that it is unlikely to get better.
Vincent O'Shea of Met Éireann warns the weather will be a complete washout in the days ahead. He predicts the bad spell of weather will last for a month to six weeks.
There’s some hope for the second half of the summer, I think it will improve.
Public relations and events manager for DDDA Elizabeth Taylor is confident that rain will not deter people from visiting the urban beach. A member of the public disagrees,
I can’t see us coming down in our Speedos tomorrow anyway.
Another man feels the whole urban beach concept is pointless without the guarantee of good weather. But another individual feels it could work,
Maybe with an umbrella.
Despite the gloomy weather forecast the urban beach will be open from 4 - 20 July 2008.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 3 July 2008. The reporter is Samantha Libreri.
