Ben Lowry: Northern Ireland has been at its most beautiful in this perfect July weather

Last month I wrote about the longest day, which was followed by magical sunny June weather.

(To read Ben Lowry’s main column on Irish government funding in NI click here, and to read his column on Luton Airport, click this link here)

placeholder image — People enjoy the last of the sunshine at Crawfordsburn beach at 9.30pm on Thursday July 16 2026, a day which saw temperatures in parts of Northern Ireland reach 29 Celsius. The beach, on Belfast Lough, had been packed with people earlier, as was the nearby beach at Helen's Bay. Pic Ben Lowry

Northern Ireland was at its finest – everything in full bloom, the days super long, then lots of sunshine too. At the end of the month the mercury passed 30 Celsius, and came close to being the hottest temperature ever recorded in the province, not only the hottest June temp (it equalled that latter record).

Now we have also just had a fortnight of flawless weather that is set to continue into next week.

I saw a cruise ship sailing out down Belfast Lough just before sunset one evening this week and got pleasure from the thought of people on deck, many of whom might not have been here before, seeing NI like this.

Good weather in early July is as good as fine weather in June. The days are ever so slightly shorter, but you have to be (like me!) almost obsessive about such things to even notice that minor change.

Extraordinarily for home, the overnight temperatures some evenings have been almost too warm. Daytime too – Thomastown in Fermanagh reached 29C on Thursday. Even so, such a Mediterranean is still rare enough to be fabulous.

The new extreme heat in hotter countries in disturbing, so again I wonder if – in the new climate dispensation – NI might become desirable for its cooler weather.

Ben Lowry (@Benlowry2) is News Letter editor