What crap weather. And this is the time where we all despair. We would miss the sunshine if we hadn’t had so much of it. But now we’ve had a taste of it we’ve made plans… We started to believe that we too could make plans a whole two days in advance. I just know that you’ve been down the butcher getting some lovely stuff for the BBQ for the weekend and now what the hell are you going to do?

Well there’s just one thing for it – we’ll go down the local shopping centre. Emmm no – that’s not gonna be any craic whatsoever. There’ll be traffic jams, overflowing carparks, too many people. I can’t believe they’re having a heatwave just a few miles across the Irish sea. Bloody typical!

So here’s some ideas on what you can do in the pouring rain… and if you don’t like them then just revert to a good old fashioned game of Twister.

Visit your local bowling alley there’s many of them Nationwide. Leisureplex And the Irish Ten Pin Bowling site has a list of bowling centres around the country make sure to ring and check the address. Irish Tenpin.

In Dublin you can visit a number of sites for free and part with a few euro for a guided tour…

Aras an Uachtaráin

The official residence of the President, located in the Phoenix Park, was built in 1751 for Nathaniel Clements and the original building was finished in 1754. The stately Georgian manor has been the home of both British and Irish politicians.

You can learn more its colourful history from the free guided walking tours that run from 10.15am to 4pm in summer. Free tickets and tours begin at the Phoenix Park Visitors Centre. For more information, call 01 6770095

Chester Beatty Library

This art museum and library is home to a large collection of rare books and manuscripts, many of them containing intricate illustrations and designs.

The library’s vast resources include the Biblical Papyri, one of the oldest known copies of the four gospels and Acts of the Apostles, painted Japanese scrolls from the 17th and 18th centuries and the largest collection of Jade books from China’s Imperial Court held outside of China.

Admission is free and opening hours vary according to season.

Not so free, but also worth it: One-hour guided tours can be booked through the library’s website.  Adult groups charged €3 per person and evening tours attracting higher fees. For more information, visit cbl.ie or call 01 407 0750.

Irish Jewish Museum

Ireland’s Jewish community dates back a lot further than you’d think, right back to 1232. Historians say permanent settlement took place in the 15th century in Dublin. Located on the site of the former Walworth Road Synagogue, the museum offers a history of Jews in Ireland. There is a room dedicated to Leopold Bloom, of Ulysses fame, which offers a unique insight into the lives of Jews in Ireland in the early 1900s.

The museum is also home to the Ada Shillman birth register, which details the 1,800 births the Lithuanian Jewish midwife attended between 1896 and 1908. The register is an invaluable resource to family historians looking to trace their Jewish roots.

Admission is free and the museum is open on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays from 10.30am to 2.30pm. For more information, visit jewishireland.org or call 01 453 1797.

National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology

Find out everything you need to know about life in ancient Ireland through the archaeological collection which begins with artifacts from the Mesolithic period all the way through to the medieval era.

This includes examples of Celtic and medieval art such as the Ardagh Chalice and the Tara Brooch, plus prehistoric gold and finds from the nation’s Viking past in the form of coins and silver ingots.

The Kingship and Sacrifice permanent exhibition is based around two Iron Age bodies found in bogs in Oldcroghan in Offaly and Clonycavan in Meath, which were discovered in 2003 and have been examined by an international team of experts. There are also some 3,000 items in the museum’s ancient Egypt collection which includes four mummies, jewellery, cosmetics and other artifacts which shine a light on the social, cultural and religious practices of this ancient civilization.

The museum is closed on Mondays. It is open from 10am to 5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and 2pm to 5pm on Sundays. Visit the museum’s website for more information on their current collections at museum.ie or call 01 6777444.

Irish Museum of Modern Art

Located at the former Royal Hospital Kilmainham, the modern art museum houses some 4,500 individual art works. This includes works by Jack B. Yeats, Kathy Prendergast, Rebecca Horn and Corban Walker, Marina Abramovic, James Coleman, Willie Doherty and many more artists who work with a variety of materials from paint to sculpture and photography.

The museum is also home to the Madden Arnholz collection of 2,000 prints from old masters such as Dürer, Rembrandt, Hogarth and Goya.

These works from the permanent collection are displayed in rotation alongside the temporary themed exhibitions that are featured in the building’s west wing. Admission is free and the museum is open from 10am to 5.30pm Tuesday to Saturday and opens at 10.30am on Wednesdays.

The themed temporary exhibitions do attract entry fees. To plan your trip, visit the museum’s website, imma.ie.

In Cork there’s loads to do too….

Blackrock Castle and Observatory

Blackrock Castle was originally built on the Lee in 1582 by the citizens of Cork as a watch tower and fort to guard the river entrance against pirates and other invaders. Now Blackrock Castle Observatory, the Space for Science, watches the skies above, the world around us and the future in its quest to bring new adventures in science to its many visitors.

Cosmos at the Castle is the international award-winning interactive astronomy exhibit at Blackrock Castle Observatory. It is also home to BCO Research Labs, the Cork Science Café, the open night First Fridays at the Castle & Movies by Moonlight. Check out their website for more details… www.bco.ie

The Cobh Heritage Centre

A fantastic museum to learn more about emmigration. From 1848-1950 according to their site over 6 million adults and children emigrated from Ireland. More than 2.5 million of these people departed from Cobh making it the single most important port of emigration. This is a museum worth checking out. They are currently open 7 days a week. Check out their website for more details www.cobhheritage.com

More info to come later – but I gotta go find a crock of gold first….