The dream of a white Christmas becomes a reality for the first time in ten years.
The bookmakers were not happy with the snow arriving on Christmas Day. The white Christmas means that Paddy Power will be paying out over €25,000 to almost a thousand customers who placed a bet on snow arriving on Christmas Day.
Today's snow was greeted with delight by children, young and old.
Snow fell in almost every county across the country. This did not deter some people from engaging in the customary Christmas Day activities. Undeterred by temperatures of between two and five degrees, hundreds of swimmers took to the water at Salthill in Galway, at Annagh Lake in County Cavan and at Sandycove in Dublin. On Fountainstown beach in Cork, one brave swimmer enjoyed the winter sun.
Most did it for charity, some for the sheer fun of it.
Charity events took place across the country. Hundreds of people ran the Goal Mile at Belfield in Dublin.
Driving conditions in many areas were treacherous and thousands were left without power in Glanmire in Cork and Connemara in Galway. The ESB says that power was restored to all homes in time to get the Christmas dinner in the oven.
Met Éireann predicts that the cold snap will remain for another day with the possibility of further snow showers. Milder weather is on the way.
Despite the cold snap, senior citizens from Dún Laoghaire and Blackrock enjoyed their Christmas Day lunch.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 25 December 2004. The reporter is Orla O'Donnell.
