Tourism shines despite the rain

The sun has disappeared and t-shirts have been replaced with raincoats and scarves, thanks to the less than balmy Irish summer.

However, the rain has done little to deter the hordes of visitors who flock to Irish shores annually.

Some 7.4 million foreign tourists came to Ireland last year, an increase of 10 per cent on the 2005 figures.

But it is not just foreign visitors who are taking the time to explore ...