Met Éireann has warned of difficult driving and cycling conditions as a status yellow wind warning is in place across the country.
Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford will see winds “very strong at times” for the duration of the warning, which is in place until Thursday evening at 8pm.
A separate status yellow warning is in place for Clare, Kerry, Donegal and Connacht, also until 8pm, with warnings that northwest winds will be very strong at times. There could be potential wave overtopping along western coastlines during the day
The UK Met Office has also issued a yellow wind warning for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry, valid until 9pm, with potential travel disruptions.
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Meanwhile, an overcast sky hanging over the Boyne Valley cast doubt over the likelihood of sunlight reaching the burial chamber at Newgrange on the shortest day of the year, but those gathered to celebrate the solstice on Thursday morning at the 5,000-year-old Neolithic site were in good spirits nonetheless.
[ Rún na Bóinne: Evidence of a possible second chamber uncovered at NewgrangeOpens in new window ]
Deborah Cruddin, from Cavan, was doubtful of clear sunrise. “I think we might be unlucky in that way,” she said, standing in front of the monument’s quartz facade.
“But it’s still great to be here. It’s still a special place even if we don’t get the sun.”
Friday will continue “mostly cloudy and quite windy with fresh to strong, gusty west to northwest winds and with outbreaks of rain and drizzle”, Met Éireann said. The highest temperatures will be 9 to 11 degrees.
The weather will continue mild and breezy and mostly cloudy up to Christmas Eve with rain at times. It will become colder from Christmas Day onwards with rain or showers at times, the forecaster said.
Saturday will be mild, breezy and mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Through Saturday evening and night more persistent rain will spread southeastwards across the country.
Christmas Eve is forecast to be mild and mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain, possibly heavy at times.
“A clearance to cooler, clearer weather will start to extend from the northwest later in the day,” Met Éireann said.
“Christmas Day looks like being a cold, bright say with sunshine and showers, heaviest and most frequent in the west and north with a chance of hail,” the forecaster said.
It may become windy in the north towards evening with heavier or prolonged showers and a possibility of thunder.
Christmas night will be cold with clear spells and a few showers. Frost may develop in places, with lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees. St Stephen’s Day will be dry at first with sunny spells, Met Éireann said.
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